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By Amir Daftari
News Reporter
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The United States is redirecting its military attention toward Latin America and the Caribbean, with Puerto Rico emerging as a central staging ground in President Donald Trump’s expanding campaign against Venezuelan-linked drug cartels, according to a new report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).
The Washington-based think tank says that more than 10 percent of all deployed U.S. naval assets are now operating under U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) in the Caribbean—a level of concentration not seen since the Cold War.
Newsweek has reached out to the State Department for comment.
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Why It Matters
CSIS describes the buildup as a major strategic pivot that could reshape U.S. defense priorities for years to come. Trump has formally notified Congress that the U.S. is engaged in a “noninternational armed conflict” against drug-trafficking organizations now labeled as foreign terrorist groups, granting broad legal authority to intensify operations. The report warns this could pave the way for future strikes in or near Venezuelan territory.
The shift signals Washington’s growing focus on international security after decades of military attention in the Middle East and Indo-Pacific. But the report cautions that the move raises thorny legal and political questions about the scope and intent of U.S. actions in Latin America.
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What to Know
With limited permanent basing infrastructure in Latin America, Puerto Rico has become the logistical backbone of current U.S. operations. The island’s ports and airfields now serve as critical hubs for refueling, resupply, and surveillance. The Port of Ponce, a strategic harbor on the island’s southern coast, is hosting U.S. warships between patrols, while Navy P-8A Poseidon reconnaissance planes are flying from National Guard facilities at San Juan’s Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport.
Meanwhile, the Pentagon has also reopened the long-shuttered Roosevelt Roads Naval Station in Ceiba—closed for more than two decades—underscoring Puerto Rico’s reemergence as the center of American military logistics in the Caribbean.
Is Venezuela the Real Target?
CSIS suggests the ongoing counter-narcotics operations could evolve into a wider campaign aimed at Venezuela. The Trump administration has prepared strike packages for potential contingencies that are currently under presidential review, according to the report. The think tank notes that the mission’s focus on drug cartels appears aligned with broader U.S. efforts to weaken Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, whom the U.S. Treasury has designated as the head of the “Cartel of the Suns.”
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Logistical and Strategic Challenges
Despite the show of force, the report notes that U.S. capabilities in the region remain limited compared to other theaters. Sustaining large-scale combat operations would require expanded logistics networks, regional basing agreements, and additional naval infrastructure. Training exercises off Trinidad and Tobago hint that Washington is already exploring new regional access points.
CSIS also warns of intelligence risks linked to Chinese commercial influence in regional ports. Recent visits by U.S. warships to Mexico’s Manzanillo and Panama’s Balboa—both operated by Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison—could expose operational patterns to potential surveillance, echoing similar vulnerabilities in the Indo-Pacific.
What Happens Next
CSIS predicts that U.S. military activity in the Caribbean will only intensify in the months ahead. The forthcoming 2025 National Defense Strategy is expected to emphasize the Western Hemisphere and homeland security, institutionalizing this shift. But the report concludes that to make the pivot successful, Washington must invest in new logistics and infrastructure—and define whether Puerto Rico’s growing role is a matter of deterrence or the first step in a broader campaign against Venezuela.
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