Maduro accuses US of ‘fabricating war’ near Caribbean

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro accused the United States of “fabricating a war” after the Pentagon ordered the USS Gerald R.

Ford carrier strike group, the world’s largest warship, is heading toward the Caribbean in a sharp escalation of Washington’s regional military posture.

In televised remarks, Maduro said the deployment threatens regional stability and vowed Venezuela would not be provoked into conflict. The move follows a series of U.S. actions this fall to intensify counter-narcotics and security operations in Latin America.

U.S. officials have framed the carrier deployment as part of a broader push to disrupt transnational criminal networks and project deterrence, adding to an unusually large build-up that already includes multiple destroyers, support vessels, and advanced aircraft.

Media briefings and regional outlets reported that the Ford strike group is heading to waters near Venezuela as part of an expanded mission set.

The Ford, commissioned in 2017 and capable of carrying more than 70 aircraft, represents a substantial surge in firepower.

Analysts noted that previous U.S. operations in the Caribbean had focused on maritime interdictions, while recent rhetoric from Washington has hinted at a willingness to target land-based threats if warranted, a shift that has alarmed governments and observers across the region. 

Venezuela’s government denounced the escalation as a pretext for regime-change pressure and called for diplomatic engagement to avoid miscalculation.

Caracas reiterated that it views the U.S. military presence close to its shores as a violation of sovereignty, while Washington has maintained that deployments are lawful and aimed at countering illicit networks and safeguarding regional security. 

Regional media in Guyana and the Caribbean highlighted concerns that the deployment could intensify tensions around Venezuela and complicate security dynamics across northern South America, even as U.S. officials stress the mission’s counter-narcotics focus. 

Sources: The Guardian, PBS NewsHour, The Business Standard (Bangladesh), AP News, The Atlantic