US expands military presence on island amid tensions with Venezuela

Several MQ-9 Reaper drones at Aguadilla’s Rafael Hernández Airport point to expanded U.S. surveillance operations in the region. (Benny Villanueva/BennyOnLens)

By THE STAR STAFF

Several MQ-9 Reaper drones have been spotted at Rafael Hernández Airport in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, signaling an escalation in U.S. surveillance operations across the Caribbean as Washington intensifies pressure on Venezuela. Footage taken on December 26 shows multiple drones parked and taxiing on the runway, with American personnel working around the aircraft, several US media outlets have reported.

The deployment is part of a broader military buildup that includes an aircraft carrier, fighter jets, and additional warships in the region. In recent days, Osprey tiltrotor aircraft and MC-130J Commando II planes have also arrived in Aguadilla, according to U.S. officials.

This surge in activity follows President Donald Trump’s recent directive to impose what he called a “blockade” on sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela—a move aimed at tightening economic and political pressure on President Nicolás Maduro. The White House has accused Caracas of enabling large-scale drug trafficking into the United States, framing the blockade as part of a counter-narcotics strategy.

Over the past several months, Washington has authorized airstrikes on vessels originating from South America that it claims were carrying narcotics. These operations have drawn sharp criticism from multiple governments, which denounced them as extrajudicial killings. The United Nations Security Council has expressed concern over the escalating tensions, while Russia and other nations have condemned what they describe as excessive U.S. military force in the Caribbean.

Trump has also threatened to target drug infrastructure on Venezuelan soil and reportedly approved covert CIA activities aimed at destabilizing Maduro’s government. Earlier this month, the U.S. Coast Guard intercepted two oil tankers in the Caribbean, both allegedly loaded with Venezuelan crude—further fueling diplomatic friction.

The growing U.S. presence in Puerto Rico underscores the island’s strategic role as a forward operating base in Washington’s regional posture. Analysts warn that the combination of military deployments, economic sanctions, and covert operations risks deepening the standoff and destabilizing the wider Caribbean.