Information on U.S. military presence in South America and responses from Venezuela

The United States is bolstering its military presence in the waters off South America, with the aim of combating threats from Latin American drug cartels. This move has sparked controversy, particularly in Venezuela, where President Nicolás Maduro has called on citizens to join a volunteer militia to assist the armed forces in case of attack.

The US government, however, has not signalled any planned land incursion from the thousands of personnel being deployed. Admiral Daryl Caudle, chief of naval operations, confirmed that US ships are heading into the region to support operations involving drug cartels.

The US Navy has already deployed two Aegis guided-missile destroyers, the USS Gravely and the USS Jason Dunham, in the Caribbean. Additionally, the US is further deploying 10 F-35 fighter jets to Puerto Rico for operations targeting drug cartels. Three amphibious assault ships are also in Caribbean waters, though their destination is not specified.

In a recent development, the US conducted a strike that destroyed a drug-carrying boat operated by the Tren de Aragua gang. This action follows Trump's designation of Venezuela's Tren de Aragua, MS-13 in El Salvador, and six groups based in Mexico as foreign terrorist organizations.

Maduro's government has rejected the drug trafficking accusations from the US, insisting that Venezuela is "free of coca leaf crops and free of cocaine production." However, the success of the militia's sign-up drives and enlistment events, as claimed by Maduro, remains uncertain, with the actual number of new recruits not specified.

The government's claim of having over 4.5 million militia members is questionable, given the plummeting support for the government and the mass migration of Venezuelans. Sabatini of Chatham House criticised the opposition leaders for manipulating people's hopes and falling into the trap that an invasion is imminent.

Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, on the other hand, has thanked the Trump administration for its approach towards Venezuela and expressed that Venezuelans had "disobeyed" the government by not participating in the militia recruitment effort.

The opposition, led by Machado, has been struggling to energise its base since last year's presidential election, where Maduro's victory was disputed. Sabatini sees this new opportunity as the militia recruitment effort, offering a potential shift in the political landscape of Venezuela.

Information on U.S. military presence in South America and responses from Venezuela