Although the United States government justifies its military deployment in the Caribbean as a “counter-narcotics mission,” the mobilization of large military assets such as destroyers, attack submarines, aircraft carriers, and thousands of Marines represents the largest concentration of forces in the region in decades, placing undeniable pressure on Nicolas Maduro’s regime in Venezuela.
Operation Southern Spear, as the Pentagon calls it, has active cooperation with key regions and countries in the region. These are Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago and the Dominican Republic. This cooperation, with varying degrees of adhesion, has raised regional geopolitical tensions and led Caracas to be accused of “kneeling” with the “empire.”
Puerto Rico. As a separate territory of the United States, it represents an important strategic platform for logistics and deployment of the US Army.
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The island is an operational center and vantage point due to its geographical proximity to Venezuela and the Caribbean environment.
Internal Pentagon documents indicate the goal is to consolidate influence and keep U.S. forces operational in Puerto Rico until at least 2028, a period that includes the entire current administration.
In this context, the Pentagon has modernized and provided military logistics services to older facilities, such as Roosevelt Rhodes Naval Base, for potential use in the medium term, underscoring its importance as a key element of the regional military council.
Trinidad and Tobago. His government adopted one of the most open positions and vocal support for US military operations.
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar expressed full support for the deployment, justifying it as a necessary strategy against transnational organized crime and drug trafficking.
It has been confirmed that US Marines are on the island to conduct joint exercises with the Trinidad and Tobago Defense Forces.
The collaboration includes the installation and modernization of key infrastructure, such as the radar system at Tobago’s ANR Robinson International Airport, with the aim of improving surveillance and intelligence against illicit trafficking in its waters.
The Maduro regime reacted harshly to this cooperation, suspending the bilateral energy agreement and declaring the Prime Minister of Trinidad “persona non grata.”
dominican republic. It strengthened its defense relations with Washington in the context of intensifying anti-drug operations in the Caribbean region.
The country allowed the temporary deployment of American forces in an effort to lead the regional battle against drug traffickers.
Cooperation is embodied in the authorization of US forces to use airports and military bases in the Dominican Republic.
This cooperation was ratified by meetings of senior US military leaders with Dominican leaders to “strengthen defense relations” and coordinate operational strategies.
Fleet. The United States naval presence in the Caribbean is primarily conducted by the 4th Fleet, which is part of the command and is headquartered in Mayport, Florida. Its area of operations covers the waters of Central and South America.
It is made up of a combination of air and naval units that include the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (the largest in the United States) or Nimitz-class units.
Amphibious assault ships, including the USS Iwo Jima, are comparable to a medium aircraft carrier, capable of transporting troops and aircraft such as F-35B fighters.
Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, equipped with Tomahawk missiles and the Aegis air defense system. P-8 Poseidon aircraft, designed for reconnaissance, surveillance, anti-submarine warfare, and Coast Guard units patrolling the area.