Venezuela conducts military drills amid US presence expansion

Venezuela launched coastal defense drills on Saturday to counter potential covert attacks as Washington increased military deployments near the South American nation. Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino announced the exercises started 72 hours earlier to guard against large military threats, drug trafficking and destabilization attempts. The Pentagon dispatched an aircraft carrier strike group to the region on Friday after bombing 10 suspected drug vessels since early September and killing at least 43 people.

President Donald Trump authorized CIA operations in Venezuela and suggested ground strikes against alleged cartels. President Nicolas Maduro rejects American accusations that he runs a drug network. Washington sent eight Navy ships, 10 F-35 aircraft and a nuclear submarine for counter-narcotic missions since August. Venezuelan officials claim these operations mask efforts to topple their government.

The USS Gerald R Ford will join regional forces while the USS Gravely travels to Trinidad and Tobago on Sunday for five days of training. State television broadcast footage of troops in nine coastal provinces and militia members carrying Russian surface-to-air missiles. Padrino stated the CIA operates globally but any intervention would fail.