Regional Alliances and Access

Venezuela launched a nationwide military exercise mobilizing roughly 200,000 troops and land, air and sea assets as the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group arrived in the Caribbean, with Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino accusing the U.S. of “executing” suspects and Caracas warning it would defend the nation “to the death.” U.S. maritime strikes on suspected drug-smuggling boats — part of Operation Southern Spear, with about 21 reported strikes and at least 83 killed — have strained alliances, prompting the UK and Colombia to curb or suspend some intelligence sharing and drawing protests from France and Mexico, even as U.S. officials defend the campaign and President Trump says he may talk with Nicolás Maduro while leaving military options open.