(NewsNation) — The USS Gerald R. Ford, the Pentagon’s largest aircraft carrier, and a strike group has arrived in Latin America.
Its arrival comes as the Trump administration steps up its military actions to counter drug trafficking and cartels in the region. The carrier is holding more than 4,000 sailors and dozens of tactical aircraft being used in the effort.
“The enhanced U.S. force presence in the USSOUTHCOM AOR will bolster U.S. capacity to detect, monitor, and disrupt illicit actors and activities that compromise the safety and prosperity of the United States homeland and our security in the Western Hemisphere,” Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said in a statement.
In recent months, tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela have ramped up as the Trump administration has ordered strikes on alleged drug boats in the country. On Monday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said two more strikes took place, which killed six people.
The recent strikes now bring the number of known attacks up to 19 and the death toll to at least 75 people since the campaign began.
“Through unwavering commitment and the precise use of our forces, we stand ready to combat the transnational threats that seek to destabilize our region,” Southcom Commander Adm. Alvin Holsey said. “The USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group’s deployment represents a critical step in reinforcing our resolve to protect the security of the Western Hemisphere and the safety of the American homeland.”