The Venezuelan government announced the “immediate suspension” of the cross-border energy accord on Monday, calling the U.S. Navy’s visit a “provocation that undermines peace.” The USS Gravely’s stop in Trinidad and Tobago was part of a regional deployment that U.S. officials described as a counter-narcotics mission.
“We’re just gonna kill people that are bringing drugs into our country,” President Trump said during a recent press conference on Venezuela-linked trafficking. “I don’t think we’re going to necessarily ask for a declaration of war.”
Maduro condemned the visit as “an act of hostility,” accusing Washington of using neighboring nations to pressure his government and seize Venezuela’s oil and gas assets. “They have transformed our neighbor into an aircraft carrier of the American empire against Venezuela,” he said in a televised address.
“They have transformed our neighbor into an aircraft carrier of the American empire against Venezuela,” Maduro said.
The U.S. has not directly responded to the suspension, but it has continued its military movements in the Caribbean. Earlier this month, the Pentagon confirmed the deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier group to the region — one of the largest such missions in years. The administration said the effort aims to disrupt drug trafficking and “ensure stability” in Latin America.
Back home, Washington remains paralyzed by a government shutdown that began Oct. 1, leaving hundreds of thousands of federal employees furloughed and key programs delayed. Despite calls from congressional leaders to stay in Washington, President Trump departed last week for a multi-nation tour of Asia, where he is promoting trade and defense partnerships. Critics, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, have accused him of neglecting the domestic crisis.
Venezuelan officials argue that the U.S. is exploiting its military presence to destabilize the region while struggling to manage its own internal dysfunction. “The United States, with its government closed and chaos at home, still finds time to threaten other nations,” said Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil.
Tensions between Washington and Caracas have steadily worsened since the Trump administration renewed sanctions earlier this year, restricting Venezuelan oil exports and targeting state-owned energy firms. Humanitarian groups warn that these measures, combined with economic mismanagement, have exacerbated Venezuela’s food and medicine shortages.
While the U.S. portrays its actions as part of an anti-drug and security campaign, regional observers say the timing of the military buildup, coupled with the president’s absence and the domestic shutdown, has raised questions about American priorities and strategy in Latin America.
