"The world's largest and most expensive aircraft carrier has arrived in the Caribbean. U.S. Southern Command announced Sunday that the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group had made its way into the Caribbean Sea, with 4,000 sailors and "dozens" of military aircraft aboard the lead ship. The strike group's deployment comes as the Trump administration continues to increase the pressure on Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, who was charged by U.S. prosecutors in 2020 with narco-terrorism and other crimes."
"Meanwhile, the U.S. has recently carried out 20 strikes on boats near the country that American officials say were smuggling drugs, though the Trump administration has yet to publicly provide any evidence for those claims, and lawmakers and legal experts have indicated the strikes are likely illegal under U.S. and international law. Last week, Trump said "I've sort of made up my mind" on next steps for U.S. involvement in Venezuela, but he gave no further details, and other administration officials have shared little about what they are planning in the South American nation."
"The USS Gerald R. Ford is a relatively new addition to the Navy's fleet. The keel of the carrier was laid in 2009, a tradition marking the beginning of a new ship's construction, and the Ford was officially commissioned in 2017. It is named for the 38th U.S. President Gerald Ford, a Navy veteran who served on the USS Monterey light aircraft carrier during World War II."
The USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group entered the Caribbean Sea carrying about 4,000 sailors and dozens of military aircraft. The deployment coincides with heightened U.S. measures targeting Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, who faces U.S. charges including narco-terrorism and carries a $50 million reward for information leading to his arrest or conviction. U.S. forces have conducted roughly 20 strikes on boats alleged to be smuggling drugs, actions that lack public evidence and have raised legal concerns under U.S. and international law. The Ford was laid down in 2009, commissioned in 2017, and began its first combat deployment in 2023, which was later extended.
Read at www.npr.org
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