CARIBBEAN SEA – U.S. Marine Corps AH-1Z Viper helicopters with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 263 (Reinforced), 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable), fly in a formation, during amphibious operations training in Puerto Rico while underway in the Caribbean Sea, Sept. 5, 2025. U.S. military forces are deployed to the Caribbean in support of the U.S. Southern Command mission, Department of War-directed operations, and the president’s priorities. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Tanner Bernat)
Since August, the US has been building up its military presence in the Caribbean. Today, a little more than half the deployed forces are at former US bases in Puerto Rico. The Trump administration affirms that its use is to counteract the drug trade and terrorism.
White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller (R) said that the campaign “combat[s] and dismantle[s] drug trafficking organizations, criminal cartels, and these foreign terrorist organizations in our hemisphere.”
Yet, officials have privately stated the main goal is to overthrow Venezuela’s leader. In early August, the US doubled its award for the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro (PSUV) to $50,000. This was done over allegations of drug trafficking and links to criminal organizations.
“We are not drug traffickers, we are noble and hard-working people,” Venezuela’s Defense Minister General Vladimir Padrino stated in response.
Puerto Rico is the main military base from which the US carries out its Caribbean operations. The Rafael Hernández Airport, the second busiest airport of the islands, has been turned into a hotspot for armed drone flights. The US Navy base in Ceiba is emerging as a launchpad for renewed US militarization in the Caribbean. In the wake of the ongoing drug war, military presence in Puerto Rico continues to expand.
U.S. Marines with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 225, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, South, prepare to launch a U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II assigned to VMFA-225 at Jose Aponte de la Torre Airport, Puerto Rico, Oct. 7, 2025. U.S. military forces are deployed to the Caribbean in support of the U.S. Southern Command mission, Department of War-directed operations, and the president’s priorities. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Michael Gavin)
Many Puerto Ricans see the activity as an opportunity for better security against drug traffickers and gang violence. The majority of crimes committed in Puerto Rico revolve around illegal drug trades. Leaders of the US have been asking for more security at the border for decades.
Governor Jennifer Gonzalez (PNP, R) says the military buildup is “good for Puerto Rico, good for our security, [and] good for our economy.”
But not everybody shares this view. Many Puerto Ricans believe security should be resolved through international cooperation. Some worry that the US military buildup can be dangerous for the country. They believe that Puerto Rico will be in the center of the conflict if the US were to go to war with Venezuela. Since early September, the US has disclosed 14 strikes on alleged drug-trafficking vessels, which have killed 60 people in total. These people who were killed were thought to be Venezuelans, Colombians, and Trinidadians.
Senator Rand Paul (R) of Kentucky posted on X, “This isn’t about blowing up drug boats, it’s about talks of regime change in Venezuela. We’ve seen how that ends: chaos, not freedom.”
While many support the anti-drug campaign in the Caribbean, there is also controversy. Many Puerto Ricans are afraid of getting entangled in the conflict. Others see the benefits of tackling the drug trade as a way to reduce crime and bolster the economy. For now, the Puerto Rican population remains divided on the US military buildup in the territory.
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Aarav Pinge is a rising junior at Brentwood School in Los Angeles, California. He is an avid Lincoln-Douglas debater and recently competed at the NSDA Nationals. Aarav is a conference director for Model United Nations, co-vice president of the Indian Student Association at his school and will serve on the school’s Service Leadership Board for the upcoming school year. He plays on the junior varsity baseball team as a pitcher and second baseman. Passionate about the performing arts, Aarav has acted in two school productions as both lead and supporting cast. Outside of school, he volunteers with the South Asian Network and served as the Youth MC at the 10th Annual API Youth Forum. In his free time, he enjoys watching TV shows, movies, baseball videos, and playing video games. Aarav is a Political Affairs Intern Correspondent at Pasquines.
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