The arrival of the USS Gerald R Ford, the nation’s most advanced aircraft carrier, comes as US strikes alleged drug vessels in the region, killing dozens.The United States’ most advanced aircraft carrier has arrived in the Caribbean Sea in a flex of military power by the President Donald Trump administration, as it raises pressure on Venezuela and prompts questions about what the influx of troops and armoury could portend.The arrival of the USS Gerald R Ford and other warships, announced by the US Navy in a statement on Sunday, marks a potentially pivotal moment in what the administration has pitched as a counterdrug operation, but is seen in many quarters as an aggressive push against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of listThe US has been conducting military strikes on vessels the administration alleges are transporting drugs. In recent months, the campaign has carried out about 20 strikes in the Caribbean and off the Pacific coasts of Latin America, killing some 80 people.International law and human rights experts have repeatedly said that such attacks amount to extrajudicial executions, even if those targeted are suspected of drug trafficking.The administration has said that the build-up of American forces in the region is focused on stopping the flow of drugs into the US, but it has provided no evidence at all to support its assertions that those killed in the boats were what they term “narcoterrorists.”‘Operation Southern Spear’The Reuters news agency reported on Saturday that senior Trump administration officials held three meetings at the White House this week to discuss options for possible military action against Venezuela, citing …
