Aircraft carrier USS Gerald R Ford arrives in the Caribbean in latest escalation of Trump’s war on cartel boats
Trump’s war on cartel boats escalates as massive aircraft carrier is sent to Caribbean
- The USS Gerald R Ford, the world's largest aircraft carrier, has arrived in the Caribbean to support operations against alleged narcotics smugglers.
- The deployment, announced on 24 October, involves the Ford's strike group and other naval assets, significantly increasing the US military presence in the region.
- This action is interpreted as a show of force against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, whom the administration has accused of complicity in the illegal drugs trade.
- The Trump administration's operations have involved firing on alleged smuggling boats, resulting in 75 deaths in 19 strikes since 2 September.
- These actions have drawn criticism from human rights groups, international law experts, Venezuela, Colombia, and led to the UK ending regional intelligence sharing in disapproval.