US Sends Warships to Venezuelan Coast, Sources Say

Three guided-missile destroyers ‘U.S. Aegis’ will reach the Venezuelan coast in the next 36 hours as part of an effort to confront the threats posed by Latin American drug cartels, two sources said on Monday (18). President Donald Trump wanted to use the military to go after the Latin American drug gangs that have been designated as global terrorist organizations. The sources said the ships are the USS Gravely, USS Jason Dunham, and USS Sampson. Another US official told Reuters that in total, about 4,000 sailors and marines are expected to be engaged in President Trump’s efforts in the southern Caribbean region. This US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the additional commitment of military resources in the region would include several P-8 spy planes, warships, and at least one attack submarine. The official said the process would be ongoing for several months and the plan was for them to operate in international airspace and waters. The naval assets could be used not only to conduct intelligence and surveillance operations but also as a launch platform for targeted attacks if a decision is made, the official added. The Venezuelan Ministry of Communications did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Without referring to the warships, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro said on Monday (18) in a speech that Venezuela ‘will defend our seas, our skies, and our lands.’ He alluded to what he called ‘the strange and bizarre threat of a declining empire.’ Trump has made cracking down on drug cartels a central focus of his administration as part of a broader effort to limit migration and protect the US southern border. The Trump administration has in recent months already deployed at least two warships to assist in border security and drug trafficking efforts. The Trump administration designated Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel and other drug gangs, as well as the Venezuelan criminal group Tren de Aragua, as global terrorist organizations in February when it stepped up immigration enforcement against alleged gang members. The US military has been increasing its aerial surveillance of Mexican drug cartels to gather information and determine the best way to combat their activities.