Ten F-35 fighter jets have been deployed to Puerto Rico as part of President Donald Trump’s military operations against drug cartels in the Caribbean. The move follows a recent U.S. strike on a Venezuelan drug ship and heightened tensions after two armed Venezuelan F-16 fighter jets buzzed a U.S. Navy destroyer in the region.
The Department of Defense warned Venezuela’s “cartel-run” government to cease any efforts to interfere with U.S. counter-narcotics and counter-terrorism missions. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro accused Trump of plotting “regime change” in Latin America, a claim the president denied.
Trump emphasized that the U.S. is not pursuing regime change but highlighted concerns over Venezuela’s 2024 election, calling it “a very strange election.” Meanwhile, the administration has authorized military strikes against suspected drug cartel targets in Venezuela, marking a potential escalation in the conflict.
The deployment of F-35s to Puerto Rico, just 550 miles from Venezuela, coincides with the presence of the USS Iwo Jima, an aircraft carrier equipped with F-35Bs. Venezuelan military capabilities are limited, with only 13 F-16s and 21 aging Su-30MK2s, leaving its air force vulnerable to U.S. stealth technology.
Earlier this month, three U.S. Aegis guided-missile destroyers were stationed near Venezuela as part of the effort to counter cartel threats. On Thursday, Venezuelan F-16s conducted a flyover of one of these vessels, described by officials as a “show of force.” No immediate response from the U.S. ship was reported.
