The USS Gravely (DDG 107) sails alongside the USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) during maneuvering exercises with the Finnish Navy in the Baltic Sea, May 16, 2022. (U.S. Navy, by MC3 Taylor Parker)
Three Arleigh Burke-class destroyers of the United States Navy will arrive off the coast of Venezuela in the next 36 hours as part of an effort to address threats from Latin American drug cartels, Reuters reported on August 19, citing two sources briefed on the matter.
The deployment is as a part of efforts the administration of President Donald Trump is making to counter drug trafficking into the U.S. In February, the administration designated Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel and other drug gangs as well as Venezuelan criminal group Tren de Aragua as global terrorist organizations. A later report from The New York Times revealed that Trump had secretly signed a directive to begin using military force against these cartels.
The three destroyers, identified in Reuters report as USS Gravely, USS Jason Dunham and the USS Sampson, will apparently escort the 4,000-strong Navy force which was ordered earlier this month to Latin America and the Caribbean on a counter-cartel mission.
A recent CNN report said that the mission is mostly a show of force, but noted that it also gives Trump and his military commanders a broad range of options should they decide to actually take action against the cartels.
While the U.S. is coordinating with Mexico to counter drug cartels, it appears to be using the issue to pressure Venezuela.
Earlier this month, the U.S. announced that it had doubled the reward for the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro from to $50 million.
Maduro was accused by the Trump administration of being “the world’s biggest drug trafficker” and of working with cartels to smuggle fentanyl-laced cocaine. Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil said that the new reward was “pathetic” and labeled it “political propaganda”.
Arleigh Burke-class destroyers are equipped with the Aegis air defense system with anti-missile capabilities. They are also typically armed with Tomahawk long-range, land-attack cruise missiles. These capabilities go way beyond what is needed to combat drug cartels.
Meanwhile, the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group and the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, which are also a part of the mission, feature an aviation element. They are especially equipped and trained for large-scale amphibious operations, which are also an overkill when it comes to countering drug trafficking.
The mission will even include an unidentified nuclear-powered attack submarine, according to CNN. All such submarines in the U.S. Navy are usually armed with Tomahawk missiles.
The capabilities of the assets involved in the mission indicate that the U.S. wants to send a message to Venezuela, not to drug cartels.
During his first term, Trump floated the idea of a military intervention in Venezuela. Relations between the two countries are not as tense now. However, this does not mean that the U.S. is not planning to start an escalation against the oil-rich country, or possibly even something more serious.
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i guess the wmd narrative doesn’t work with venezuela. so the ‘has probable ties to cartels worldwide’ narrative has to do
regime change incoming. this time under the guise of countering drug trafficking.
does anyone have to be told what this means? the peace president is seeking a war he thinks he can win. what does the buffoon think will happen if he attacks venezuela? does he think that venezuela will just roll over for him? hopefully not, but being situated where they are, it’s a no brainer the orange buffoon will likely push for an attack…or what is even more likely a ff to precipitate one.
would venezuela be able to fight back? are they able to produce a threat to the mainland us that would be a deterrent? is their military able to defend against such a threat? how well trained are they? do they have offensive capabilities that could strike mara lago? trump’s trumped up charges are just that, this is monroe doctrine bs and the rest of the americas better take heed. venezuela and mexico are just the primers.
for what it’s worth, i can imagine south america being a real hassle to occupy.
myslím, že jedna ruská ponorka by mala tento problém rýchlo vyriešiť, ak sa darebácky štát usa pokúsi o útok na venezuelu!!! bolo by to také malé prekvapenie. mysleniu zdar a svetu mier!!!