US warship arrives in Trinidad and Tobago, near Venezuela

As tensions between Washington and Caracas continue to grow, a United States warship has arrived in Trinidad and Tobago, a country on an island close to Venezuela.

Prior to planned joint military exercises, the USS Gravely, a guided-missile destroyer, made its way to Trinidad on Sunday with US Marines on board.

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The warship can operate helicopters and has modern weapons. Its most recent activities include deploying for anti-narcotics operations.

The US military presence in the Caribbean has increased in recent weeks as it continues to expand its military presence there, where it has launched controversial, deadly strikes against boats that Washington claims are involved in drug trafficking.

The Pentagon announced on Friday that it would send the USS Gerald R Ford, the largest aircraft carrier in the world, to the area, further escalating the conflict.

Nicolas Maduro, president of Venezuela, claimed Washington was “fabricating” a war against him after winning re-election last year in what the US has criticized as a fraudulent election.

The US president has claimed that Maduro is the leader of Tren de Aragua, an organized crime organization, without providing any proof.

Julia Galiano, a journalist for Al Jazeera, reported from Port of Spain on Sunday, saying the government of Trinidad wanted to reassure the country’s citizens that their arrival shouldn’t cause them any concern.

The US vessel’s presence was not a prelude to war, according to the nation’s defense minister, who spoke to Al Jazeera on Saturday. Joint military exercises were conducted frequently.

Galiano claimed, however, that the warship’s residents had “a lot more reservations.”

People we spoke to today, for instance, told us in the Sunday market that they were afraid of what this might mean for their nation, she said.

Similar concerns were expressed by Trinidadis who spoke to news organizations.

We as people who live on the margins of Venezuela and America could face a lash at any time, according to 64-year-old Daniel Holder, who spoke to the AFP news agency.

He continued, “I oppose having my country be a part of this.”

According to Javed Ali, an associate professor with a specialization in national security at the University of Michigan, “the use of a significant amount of military force” was a “significant amount of military force” was used to impose pressure on the Maduro regime, according to Al Jazeera on Sunday.

He continued, “It’s very hard to know what the White House is thinking,” noting that Venezuela’s lack of US military support prevented an invasion.

It wouldn’t have been with such a small footprint if the US had waged wars in the past, Ali said.

Washington’s largest military deployment in the area since its invasion of Panama in 1989 included eight navy ships, ten F-35 warplanes, and a nuclear-powered submarine as part of its anti-drug operations.