""Today, I'm announcing Operation SOUTHERN SPEAR," the Pentagon boss declared on social media platform X on Thursday. "Led by Joint Task Force Southern Spear and @SOUTHCOM, this mission defends our Homeland, removes narco-terrorists from our Hemisphere, and secures our Homeland from the drugs that are killing our people," he said. The Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) is one of the US military's eleven unified combatant commands which is tasked with contingency planning, operations and security cooperation for 31 countries in Central America, South America and the Caribbean."
"Last week, the USS Gerald R Ford world's largest aircraft carrier arrived in the waters of the Caribbean and Latin America, adding to an already massive naval build-up in the region. Washington has said that its military presence in the area is aimed at reining in transnational criminal gangs in order to protect the US from illicit drugs. As part of its campaign against drug trafficking, the US has carried out military strikes against a number of vessels in the Caribbean and the eastern Pacific."
"The US action has heightened tensions in the region, particularly with Venezuela. Washington claims that the smugglers have links to Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro. Maduro has denied the accusations and in turn claims that the US is "fabricating a new war". He alleges that the US military buildup is to oust him from power. According to Maduro, the US naval deployment in the region is "the greatest threat our continent has faced in the past 100 years.""
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Operation SOUTHERN SPEAR, led by Joint Task Force Southern Spear and SOUTHCOM, to target narco-terrorists in the Western Hemisphere. The mission seeks to defend the homeland, remove narco-terrorists from the hemisphere, and stop drug flows. SOUTHCOM oversees contingency planning, operations, and security cooperation across 31 countries in Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. The USS Gerald R. Ford arrived in regional waters amid a major naval build-up. The Pentagon links the military presence to reining in transnational criminal gangs and preventing illicit drugs. US strikes on suspected drug vessels have killed dozens. Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro denies connections, calls the actions fabricated, and alleges a plot to oust him.
Read at www.dw.com
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