Arrival of vessel sparks fears of strike in Venezuela

CARACAS, Venezuela — A United States aircraft carrier strike group arrived in Latin America on Tuesday, escalating a military buildup that Venezuela has warned could trigger a full-blown conflict as it announced its own "massive" deployment.

The USS Gerald R. Ford, the world's largest aircraft carrier, entered an area under control of the US Naval Forces Southern Command, which encompasses Latin America and the Caribbean, the command said.

The vessel's deployment was ordered nearly three weeks ago, with the stated goal of helping to counter drug trafficking in the region.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has accused US President Donald Trump's administration of "fabricating a war".

"If we as a republic, as a people, go into an armed struggle in order to defend the sacred legacy of the liberators, we're ready to win," Maduro said on Tuesday.

US forces have carried out strikes on about 20 vessels in international waters in the region since early September, killing at least 76 people, according to US figures.

However, Washington has not provided any evidence that the stricken vessels were used to smuggle drugs, and human rights experts say the attacks amount to extrajudicial killings even if they target known traffickers.

In response to these strikes, Colombia's President Gustavo Petro ordered the suspension of his country's intel exchange with the US on Tuesday, a pause that "will remain in force as long as the missile attacks on boats continue", he said on X.

Meanwhile, CNN reported on Tuesday that the United Kingdom is no longer sharing intelligence with the US about suspected drug-trafficking vessels in the Caribbean because it does not want to be complicit in US military strikes and believes the attacks are illegal.

A spokesman for UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer would not comment on the report, telling reporters in London, "We don't comment on security or intelligence matters."

Agencies - Xinhua