Department of Research, Studies and International News10-09-2025

The United States has once again stirred regional tensions by reinforcing its military presence in the Caribbean, a move widely viewed as part of its long-standing campaign to undermine Venezuela. During a visit to Puerto Rico, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told Marines stationed on the USS Iwo Jima that their mission was “not training,” but a live operation in the name of so-called American national security.

Speaking aboard the warship, Hegseth framed the deployment as a campaign to curb narcotics entering the United States. “What you’re doing right now is not training; this is a real-world exercise on behalf of the vital national interests of the United States of America to end the poisoning of the American people,” he said. His comments suggest Washington is laying the groundwork for a more aggressive military posture in the region.

Hegseth, who heads what President Donald Trump controversially rebranded from the “Department of Defense” to the “Department of War,” was accompanied by Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Their unannounced stop in Puerto Rico was presented as an inspection, though analysts argue it is a signal to Venezuela and its allies that the United States intends to use military force to assert control over the Caribbean.

Puerto Rico’s governor, Jenniffer Gonzalez, echoed Washington’s narrative, publicly thanking Trump for “recognizing the strategic value Puerto Rico has to the national security of the United States” and linking the deployment to the fight against what she called “narco-dictator Nicolas Maduro.” Her remarks, however, reflect the U.S. position and ignore the voices across Latin America and beyond that view the escalation as a threat to regional peace.

Unlawful strike on Venezuelan vessel

Tensions have sharply escalated in recent days following a U.S. attack on a Venezuelan boat in the Caribbean that left 11 people dead. Washington claimed the vessel was carrying narcotics, though no evidence was presented. President Trump celebrated the strike on his Truth Social platform, writing: “Please let this serve as notice to anybody even thinking about bringing drugs into the United States of America. BEWARE!”

Human rights organizations have condemned the assault as an “extrajudicial killing” and violation of international law. Critics in Washington itself have also questioned the move. Congressman Adam Smith, ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, asked bluntly: “There is no way on God’s green earth you can say that whatever was in this boat presented any sort of imminent threat to the United States in a military sense.”

Republican Senator Rand Paul added his voice to the criticism, targeting Vice President JD Vance for praising the strike. “What a despicable and thoughtless sentiment it is to glorify killing someone without a trial,” Paul said.

Venezuela has strongly denied U.S. accusations of being a hub for drug cartels. Vice President Delcy Rodriguez challenged Washington’s claims, remarking: “How can there be a drug cartel if there’s no drugs here?” Caracas has long accused the United States of fabricating drug allegations as a pretext for destabilizing the country.

Reviving old patterns of hostility

Since returning to office earlier this year, Trump has revived the aggressive posture toward Venezuela that marked his previous presidency, when Washington openly backed opposition figures and nearly supported a coup attempt. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, one of the most vocal advocates of confrontation with Caracas, recently refused to rule out direct strikes against “cartels” inside Venezuelan territory. “We are going to take on drug cartels wherever they are, wherever they are operating against the interests of the U.S.,” Rubio declared.

In addition to the naval buildup, Washington has reportedly stationed ten F-35 stealth fighter jets in Puerto Rico. Trump also warned that U.S. forces would shoot down Venezuelan aircraft that fly near American warships, threats that could easily trigger open confrontation.

Regional and international reaction

While some regional leaders have aligned with Washington’s narrative, others are voicing concern. Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar welcomed the strike and urged the U.S. military to intensify its actions. She claimed drug cartels had inflicted “immense suffering” on her country and even called for traffickers to be “killed violently.”

In sharp contrast, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva issued a warning during a BRICS summit speech, stressing that the U.S. naval buildup was a destabilizing factor. “The presence of the armed forces of the largest power in the Caribbean Sea is a factor of tension,” Lula said, highlighting broader concerns within BRICS, which includes Russia, China, India, Brazil, and South Africa, about Washington’s militarization of Latin America.

Conclusion

The United States continues to use the rhetoric of a “war on drugs” to justify interventions in sovereign nations, particularly Venezuela. With no concrete evidence presented to support its accusations, Washington’s actions appear less about narcotics and more about maintaining geopolitical dominance in Latin America. By escalating military deployments and authorizing lethal strikes, the U.S. risks dragging the Caribbean into renewed instability, a course opposed by many across the Global South.