CaliToday (15/11/2025): Caracas places coastal forces on high alert, accusing Washington of "gunboat diplomacy" as the world's largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, begins drills in the region.
The already volatile situation in the Caribbean has escalated dramatically, as the U.S. Navy's most powerful warship, the USS Gerald R. Ford, and its carrier strike group have taken up position in the region.
The carrier's arrival transforms the ongoing, and already controversial, "Operation Southern Spear" from a series of isolated interdictions into a major geopolitical flashpoint.
The operation, which the Pentagon frames as a counter-narcotics mission, has been the focus of intense international scrutiny following a series of lethal strikes against vessels designated by the U.S. as "narco-terrorist" boats.
Now, with the arrival of a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, the back-and-forth warnings between Washington and Caracas have taken on a dire new significance, sparking fears of an open military confrontation.
A 'Disproportionate' Show of Force
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has maintained that Operation Southern Spear is vital to U.S. national security, aimed at "cutting off the head of the snake" by targeting drug trafficking routes allegedly used by terrorist-funded organizations.
However, regional analysts and the Venezuelan government argue the operation's scale far exceeds its stated purpose.
"You do not deploy a 100,000-ton Nimitz-class carrier to stop speedboats," a senior Venezuelan military official stated in a terse press release this morning. "This is not a police action; it is a threat of war."
The USS Gerald R. Ford, the world's largest and most advanced aircraft carrier, is not alone. It is accompanied by a full strike group, including guided-missile cruisers and destroyers, which are now conducting "freedom of navigation" and readiness drills in international waters—within striking distance of the Venezuelan coast.
Venezuela Responds to "Gunboat Diplomacy"
In response, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has reportedly placed the nation's entire coastal defense system on high alert.
In a fiery address from Caracas, President Maduro accused the Trump administration of engaging in 19th-century "gunboat diplomacy" and using the anti-drug campaign as a "fig leaf for regime change."
"They believe they can frighten us," Maduro declared. "But the Bolviarian navy and air force are ready to defend our sacred sovereignty from the imperialist threat."
The tension is palpable. The U.S. operation has already resulted in numerous deaths at sea, which the U.N. is investigating. With the carrier group's arrival, the "narco-terrorist" designation is being seen by Caracas as a potential pretext that could be used to justify a broader conflict. As of midday, the world is watching the Caribbean, fearing that one miscalculation or crossed line could ignite the entire region.