As part of the growing military buildup in the Caribbean Sea, the U.S. government confirmed the deployment of new air assets based in Puerto Rico. Alongside F-35 stealth fighters, the U.S. is also deploying armed MQ-9 Reaper drones to intensify its operations in the region, with a particular focus on surveillance and strike missions against criminal organizations linked to drug trafficking. This move expands the pressure strategy on Venezuela and adds to a series of recent incidents that have heightened tensions with Nicolás Maduro’s regime.
The arrival of the MQ-9 Reaper drones was evidenced by images released in various international media, showing one of these aircraft armed with AGM-114 Hellfire missiles operating from Rafael Hernández International Airport in Aguadilla, in northwestern Puerto Rico. Capable of carrying out reconnaissance and precision strike missions, these drones are among the most effective platforms against mobile targets, such as speedboats used by drug trafficking organizations.
In fact, in recent days, U.S. President Donald Trump himself announced that he had ordered a strike on a boat carrying drugs. The incident occurred on September 2 in international waters, in the context of intensified maritime security operations led by the Pentagon in the region. Given the deployment of MQ-9 Reapers, it is estimated that the action may have been carried out by one of these drones. The episode, which ended with the destruction of the vessel and the death of its eleven occupants, has not yet been officially attributed to a specific unit, although the presence of these armed systems in the area reinforces that hypothesis.
At the same time, the U.S. confirmed the deployment of a detachment of up to ten F-35 fighters in Puerto Rico. These fifth-generation aircraft, equipped with stealth features and state-of-the-art combat systems, are tasked with strengthening air deterrence capabilities amid growing tensions with Venezuela’s Bolivarian Military Aviation. In recent days, Venezuelan F-16 fighters conducted very low-altitude passes over the destroyer USS Jason Dunham, which was denounced by the Department of Defense as a hostile maneuver.
The decision to send F-35s is also part of a broader operational framework that includes the presence of more than 4,500 U.S. personnel in the region. This deployment is part of an unprecedented military strategy in the Caribbean. Currently, the United States maintains in the area the Amphibious Ready Group led by the USS Iwo Jima (LHD-7), alongside the USS San Antonio (LPD-17) and USS Fort Lauderdale (LPD-28), with more than 2,000 Marines. These forces are reinforced by Arleigh Burke-class destroyers: USS Gravely (DDG-107), USS Jason Dunham (DDG-109), and USS Sampson (DDG-102), as well as the littoral combat ship USS Minneapolis-St. Paul (LCS-21).
Days ago, the deployment of the guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Erie (CG-70), equipped with the AEGIS combat system, and the Los Angeles-class nuclear-powered attack submarine USS Newport News (SSN-750) was also confirmed. These assets are positioned in strategic areas of the Caribbean, enhancing Washington’s ability to respond to scenarios of military tension or interdiction against criminal groups.
The escalation of incidents in the Caribbean is part of the White House strategy to designate certain cartels, including Tren de Aragua—heavily present in Venezuela with regional reach—as “foreign terrorists.” This designation authorizes direct military operations and has been one of the foundations for justifying the increase in air and naval assets in the region.
In this context, statements by President Donald Trump further escalated diplomatic tension. Following the second low pass of Venezuelan F-16s against the USS Jason Dunham, the president warned that if any U.S. unit is put at risk, they would not hesitate to shoot down hostile aircraft. The message, directed squarely at Caracas, confirms that the deployment of stealth fighters and armed drones not only responds to the fight against drug trafficking but also to a deterrence strategy against potential military clashes in the Caribbean.
Cover image for illustrative purposes.
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