Why it matters:
The renewed military activity at the Roosevelt Roads Naval Station marks a major shift in U.S. regional posture, coming just weeks after the base was formally reactivated in October 2025, more than twenty years after its closure in 2004. What began as a dormant Cold War–era facility has abruptly transformed into a busy operational hub, with heavy-lift helicopters, Osprey aircraft, and an AC-130 gunship arriving in rapid succession. This buildup coincides with President Donald Trump’s recent declaration that the United States will “very soon” take action against alleged Venezuelan drug traffickers on land, heightening speculation that Washington is preparing for more than routine counter-narcotics missions.
The big picture:
Over the past several months, U.S.–Venezuela tensions have escalated sharply as Washington expanded its military footprint across the Caribbean. The deployment of F-35 fighters, warships, drones, and special-operations aircraft — now operating partly from the newly reactivated Roosevelt Roads base — has been framed by the U.S. as a crackdown on Venezuelan-linked drug-trafficking networks.
Caracas has rejected these allegations, calling them a pretext for regime change. President Nicolás Maduro says the United States is preparing for intervention, mobilized troops and militias, and publicly vowed to defend “every inch” of Venezuelan territory against “imperialist threats.” The Venezuelan government has placed its armed forces on high alert, activating Comprehensive Defense Commands.
Go deeper:
Trinidad and Tobago Rejects Use of Its Territory for U.S. Attack Against Venezuela
Maduro Vows to Defend Venezuela Against ‘Imperialist Threats’
F.abedi - Mojtaba Darabi
