Sun Oct 26 17:48:43 UTC 2025: Summary:

Tensions are rising between the US and Venezuela as the US increases its military presence in the Caribbean. The USS Gravely, a guided-missile destroyer, arrived in Trinidad and Tobago for joint military exercises, causing concern among locals. This follows the deployment of the USS Gerald R Ford aircraft carrier and other military assets to the region as part of US anti-drug operations. Venezuela has responded by conducting coastal defense exercises. The US accuses Venezuelan President Maduro of being involved in organized crime, while Maduro accuses the US of fabricating a war.

News Article:

USS Gravely Arrival in Trinidad & Tobago Fuels US-Venezuela Tensions

Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago – A US Navy warship, the USS Gravely, arrived in Trinidad and Tobago on Sunday for pre-planned joint military exercises, raising concerns amidst escalating tensions between the United States and Venezuela. The guided-missile destroyer’s arrival, carrying US Marines, comes as the US military continues to bolster its presence in the Caribbean, ostensibly for counter-narcotics operations.

This deployment follows the recent announcement of the USS Gerald R Ford aircraft carrier being sent to the region, a move that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has condemned as a “fabrication” of war. The US President has also accused Maduro of being a leader of the Tren de Aragua crime gang.

While the Trinidadian government has sought to reassure its citizens that the joint exercises are routine and not a prelude to conflict, many locals have expressed fear and anxiety about the implications of the increased US military activity so close to Venezuela.

“If anything should happen with Venezuela and America… we as people who live on the outskirts of it… could end up getting a lash any time,” a Trinidadian resident told AFP.

Javed Ali, a national security expert at the University of Michigan, noted that the US is projecting a significant amount of military force to pressure the Maduro regime. He also indicated that the current US presence is insufficient for a full-scale invasion of Venezuela.

In response to the US buildup, Venezuela has initiated coastal defense exercises to prepare for potential military threats. The US military build-up also included eight navy ships, 10 F-35 warplanes and a nuclear-powered submarine to the region in August, its largest military build-up in the area since its 1989 invasion of Panama. The situation remains highly volatile, with the potential for further escalation between the two nations.

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