Venezuela Deploys Warships Amid US Naval Buildup in the Caribbean

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12 hrs ago

Above: Venezuela's Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez speaks during a press conference on Aug. 27, 2025. Image copyright: Stringer/AFP/Getty Images

story last updated 12 hrs ago

The Spin

Establishment-critical narrative

Washington has provided no evidence for cartel accusations against Maduro, so this military buildup is just another doomed-to-fail regime change attempt disguised as anti-drug operations. If this was actually about tackling drug cartels, the U.S. wouldn't focus on a country that is free of coca leaf crops and cocaine production, but rather on its ally Colombia.

AntiWar

Pro-establishment narrative

It's very unlikely that the U.S. intends to invade Venezuela to remove Maduro, especially as the White House and Defense Department have little interest in sustained military operations. Given that Trump considers the inflow of drugs across U.S. borders a national security threat, the goal of this military buildup is indeed to weaken the Maduro-led Cartel de los Soles.

The Washington Examiner