CaliToday (05/11/2025): Venezuela's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a furious condemnation of the United States' deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford supercarrier and its escort to the Caribbean. Caracas denounced the move as a "military threat" and a "siege plot" against its national sovereignty, escalating a dangerous war of words as U.S. naval might gathers off its coast.
The diplomatic firestorm erupted following confirmation that the advanced U.S. carrier strike group, led by the nuclear-powered Gerald R. Ford, had entered the strategic waters of the Caribbean, reportedly on a mission to dismantle drug trafficking networks.
A "Narco-Kingpin" Accusation Ignites Fury
At the heart of Venezuela's outrage are persistent, high-level accusations from Washington, including directly from U.S. President Donald Trump, that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is a "national narco-kingpin." These allegations paint the Maduro regime as deeply enmeshed in a vast criminal enterprise responsible for the flow of illicit drugs that have, according to U.S. officials, "maimed millions of Americans across the country."
The U.S. claims that drug routes originating from or passing through Venezuela contribute significantly to the opioid and illicit drug epidemics devastating American communities, leaving a trail of addiction and shattered lives.
In response, Caracas vehemently rejects these charges, labeling them as a pretext for U.S. intervention and a thinly veiled attempt at "regime change."
"This is not about drugs; this is about control," stated a Venezuelan official, speaking anonymously. "The U.S. uses these baseless accusations to justify its aggressive posture and undermine our legitimate government."
"Military Threat" or Counter-Narcotics War?
The official Venezuelan statement portrays the carrier group's presence as an overt act of intimidation. "The deployment of such a colossal war machine to our immediate vicinity constitutes an unacceptable military threat," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs asserted. "It is a clear attempt to intimidate our nation and undermine the peace and stability of the entire region."
However, U.S. officials maintain that the deployment is strictly aimed at enhancing maritime interdiction capabilities and putting "maximum pressure" on transnational criminal organizations, which they assert includes elements within the Venezuelan government. The massive presence of a supercarrier, bombers, and drones is framed not as an invasion force, but as an advanced intelligence, surveillance, and enforcement platform.
This sharp divergence in narratives underscores the profound distrust between the two nations. For Washington, the Gerald R. Ford's mission is a direct response to a humanitarian and security crisis fueled by drug trafficking, allegedly orchestrated at the highest levels of the Venezuelan government. For Caracas, it is an imperialist affront, a brazen attempt by the U.S. to dictate its internal affairs under the guise of fighting crime.
As the USS Gerald R. Ford takes up its position off the Venezuelan coast, the volatile relationship between the two countries appears to be entering its most perilous phase yet, with each side drawing stark, irreconcilable lines in the Caribbean Sea.