US deploys F-35 jets to Puerto Rico amid escalating tensions with Venezuela

By&nbspEuronews

Published on 14/09/2025 - 14:56 GMT+2

Military hostility betwixt nan United States and Venezuela continues to escalate arsenic 5 US F-35 combatant jets landed successful Puerto Rico, while Caracas slammed nan US aft it claimed equipped unit connected a Navy destroyer raided a sportfishing vessel that was sailing successful Venezuelan waters.

News agency Reuters reported that nan 5 US F-35 combatant jets landed connected Saturday astatine nan erstwhile Roosevelt Roads guidelines successful Ceiba, Puerto Rico, arsenic portion of nan deployment ordered by President Donald Trump successful nan Caribbean to reenforce operations against supplier trafficking.

Helicopters, Ospreys and subject unit were besides spotted astatine nan base, sparking protests successful nan area against Puerto Rico's militarisation.

The move came soon aft Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth paid a astonishment sojourn to nan Puerto Rico, and only days aft Washington said it had carried retired a strike successful nan souther Caribbean against a drug-carrying vessel, operated by nan Tren de Aragua gang, which departed from Venezuela.

Meanwhile, Venezuela's overseas ministry slammed nan US for aft it claimed unit from a United States Navy Destroyer "illegally and hostilely" boarded a tuna vessel that was sailing successful Venezuelan waters.

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil told reporters that 18 equipped unit remained connected nan alloy for 8 hours and prevented nan 9 fishermen's normal activities. They past released them nether nan escort of nan Venezuelan navy.

“Those who springiness nan bid to transportation retired specified provocations are seeking an incident that would warrant a subject escalation successful nan Caribbean,” Gil said, adding that nan nonsubjective is to “persist successful their grounded policy” of authorities alteration successful Venezuela.

Earlier successful nan week, Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro mobilised nan country's equipped forces to unafraid each coastlines on 284 "battlefronts". Thousands of Venezuela's equipped forces arsenic good arsenic militiamen took portion successful manoeuvres arsenic portion of "Plan Independencia 200."

Maduro said nan move was intended to protect Venezuelan sovereignty successful consequence to nan US' moves successful adjacent waters arsenic portion of Donald Trump's stated purpose of combatting criminal organisations.