Summary
A report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) states that the United States is increasing military focus on Latin America and the Caribbean, using Puerto Rico as a key operational base. President Trump is shifting military resources towards drug cartels linked to Venezuela, raising legal and political questions about U.S. actions in the region.
Key Facts
- The U.S. is using Puerto Rico as a main base for operations against Venezuelan-linked drug cartels.
- More than 10% of U.S. naval forces are now in the Caribbean under U.S. Southern Command.
- President Trump has notified Congress that the U.S. is in a conflict against drug organizations marked as foreign terrorist groups.
- Puerto Rico's ports and airfields are crucial for U.S. military operations in the area.
- The Roosevelt Roads Naval Station in Puerto Rico has been reopened after being closed for two decades.
- The U.S. is considering strikes as part of a wider campaign against Venezuela.
- There are potential intelligence risks with Chinese commercial influence in regional ports.
- Future U.S. military activity in the Caribbean is expected to increase.
