The USS Gerald R Ford, the world’s largest military aircraft carrier, has arrived in the southern Caribbean Sea as part of a significant U.S. military build-up in the region. The deployment, led by the Gerald R Ford Carrier Strike Group (CSG), marks the largest military presence in the Caribbean in decades. While the U.S. government has framed the operation as a mission to combat narco-trafficking and dismantle transnational criminal organizations, it has also intensified pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, whom Washington views as an illegitimate leader facilitating illicit trade. The arrival of the CSG was confirmed in a November 16 statement, emphasizing its role in supporting the U.S. Southern Command’s (SOUTHCOM) efforts to counter narco-terrorism and protect the Homeland. Admiral Alvin Holsey, SOUTHCOM commander, highlighted the group’s readiness to address transnational threats destabilizing the region. The CSG will join forces already stationed in the Caribbean, including the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group and the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, as part of Joint Task Force Southern Spear. Rear Admiral Paul Lanzilotta, commander of Carrier Strike Group 12, described the USS Gerald R Ford as the most capable and lethal platform globally, deployed to safeguard national security and prosperity. The fleet’s presence coincides with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit’s second visit to Trinidad and Tobago (TT) for joint training with the TT Defence Force (TTDF) from November 16 to 21. While TT’s Foreign Minister Sean Sobers defended the collaboration as essential for combating illegal drugs and weapons, Venezuelan President Maduro condemned the military exercises, warning they threaten regional peace. Maduro has accused the U.S. of seeking to overthrow him and called for public protests against the drills. This deployment follows the 22nd MEU’s first visit in October, which sparked similar condemnation from Caracas, leading to halted petrochemical deals with TT and the labeling of TT’s Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar as persona non grata.