The United States ordered the deployment of the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, accompanied by five destroyers, to the coast of Latin America — a move called a “reinforcement of regional security” by the Pentagon, but interpreted by many observers as preparation for a direct confrontation with Venezuela.
This operation, announced on October 24, 2025, brings the naval presence in the area under USSOUTHCOM command to more than 10,000 American soldiers. The official press release mentions a mission to fight drug trafficking and “illicit activities compromising the security of the American continent”.
The anti-drug pretext and the logic of encirclement
The argument of the fight against drugs has been used for several weeks to justify American strikes in the Caribbean Sea, often carried out without tangible evidence. International law experts and UN representatives denounce violations of international law and extrajudicial executions.
President Donald Trump, in a series of forceful statements, acknowledged authorizing the CIA to operate on Venezuelan soil, hinting that attacks could follow.
This fait accompli strategy recalls the logic of “regime change” experienced in other regions: military pressure, diplomatic isolation, then forced negotiation with a weakened power.
Faced with this escalation, Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino reacted firmly: “The armed forces will never allow a government subject to the interests of Washington.”
He described this situation as “the most serious military threat in the last hundred years”, while reaffirming Caracas’ desire to avoid war.
For the Nicolás Maduro regime, this rise in American power is only a pretext to try to overthrow a power that has remained rebellious for more than twenty years to the economic domination of Washington.
Oil, the hidden issue of the confrontation
Officially absent from American discourse, the oil question nevertheless remains the silent heart of the conflict.
Venezuela holds the world’s largest proven oil reserves, but its exports have been crippled by US sanctions imposed since 2019.
Deprived of revenue, Caracas has turned to China and Russia, transforming its oil into a geopolitical tool.
In response, Washington is seeking to regain a foothold in the Venezuelan energy sector.
Sources close to the State Department have discussed discussions since July on limited authorizations for Chevron and other American companies, while Trump has increased diplomatic pressure to cut the Sino-Venezuelan energy link.
Clearly, behind the language of “security”, there is a battle for control of oil resources and the reconfiguration of energy flows in the region.
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