❓WHAT HAPPENED: The U.S.’s largest and most modern aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford, has entered the Caribbean Sea, joining a significant U.S. military build-up near Venezuela’s coastline.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The U.S. Navy, Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, and the U.S. State Department.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The USS Gerald R. Ford entered the Caribbean Sea on Sunday, navigating through the Anegada Passage.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Through unwavering commitment and the precise use of our forces, we stand ready to combat the transnational threats that seek to destabilize our region.” – Admiral Alvin Holsey
🎯IMPACT: The deployment increases pressure on Venezuela’s socialist dictatorship and enables potential U.S military action to remove strongman leader Nicolás Maduro.
The USS Gerald R. Ford, the largest and most advanced aircraft carrier in the U.S. Navy, has entered the Caribbean Sea. The Ford‘s arrival was confirmed by the U.S. Navy on Sunday, though the largest warship ever built had entered the U.S. Southern Command Area of Responsibility (USSOUTHCOM AOR) late last week. This move comes as part of a broader military build-up near Venezuela’s coastline, which has included warships, personnel, and stealth aircraft.
Meanwhile, SOUTHCOM has confirmed that at least 21 drug boats have been targeted since early September, resulting in 83 deaths, as part of a campaign against narcotics trafficking. Admiral Alvin Holsey, commander of SOUTHCOM, stated, “Through unwavering commitment and the precise use of our forces, we stand ready to combat the transnational threats that seek to destabilize our region.” Holsey also emphasized the importance of the carrier strike group’s deployment in protecting the Western Hemisphere and U.S. national security.
Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro, believed to be the primary target of the U.S. military buildup, has responded with a “massive deployment” of his own forces. Maduro, who is not recognized by many Western nations as the legitimate leader of Venezuela, is accused by the U.S. of leading the Cartel de los Soles, which the State Department designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) on Sunday. Maduro denies the allegations. A $50 million reward remains for information leading to his arrest.
President Donald J. Trump, when asked about potential U.S. action against Maduro, commented, “It allows us to do that, but we haven’t said we’re going to do that.” Trump also hinted at possible discussions with Maduro, stating, “The government in Caracas would like to talk.”
Over the weekend, Maduro made an increasingly rare public appearance before a small crowd of supporters. During the regime event, Maduro bizarrely appeared to sing John Lennon’s Imagine, before he called for peace in the region.
Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro breaks into singing John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’ as he talks about US tensions. pic.twitter.com/R270tpM5AF
— The Associated Press (@AP) November 16, 2025
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