The U.S. War Department has quietly deployed ground forces to the Caribbean for intensive jungle warfare training — the first such operation in over two decades, according to reports.
The drills come amid what analysts are calling the largest American military buildup in the region since the Cold War, fueling speculation that Washington is preparing for a confrontation with Venezuela.
At the same time, Moscow has made its boldest move yet in Latin America — deploying advanced air defense and missile systems to Venezuela to “ensure the security” of President Nicolás Maduro’s government.
The Kremlin’s decision marks a dramatic escalation, effectively placing Russian missile batteries within striking distance of U.S. forces and signaling that any intervention in Venezuela could trigger a direct U.S.–Russia standoff.
Anti-War report: While the US hasn’t sent enough forces to the Caribbean for a full-scale invasion of Venezuela, US military planners reportedly do believe it has a sufficient force to seize strategic ports and airfields in Venezuela.
According to a report from The New York Times, one of the options presented to President Trump wouldinvolve sending troops to capture airfields or oil infrastructure inside the country.
The ABC report said that US soldiers and Marines are participating in a three-week training course once called “Green Hell” due to the similarities to combat in Vietnam at the Base Aeronaval Cristóbal Colón, formerly known as Fort Sherman.
The jungle training course at the base was shuttered in 1999 when the US pulled troops out of the country as part of a deal to cede control of the Panama Canal to the Panamanian government.
Earlier this year, President Trump was calling for the US to “retake” the Panama Canal, which led to the US signing a deal with Panama that allows US troop deployments to bases along the canal for training and military exercises.
Proponents of a regime change war with Venezuela to oust Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro point to the 1989 US invasion of Panama that led to the arrest of Panamanian leader and former CIA asset Manuel Noriega.
But a major difference between a potential invasion of Venezuela and the US invasion that ousted Noriega is the fact that the US had a long-established military presence in Panama at the time.
Maduro has vowed that Venezuela is ready to fight if the US attacks, and Russia has recently delivered air defenses to the country and is considering further support.
The Venezuelan leader also says that a pro-government militia that has millions of members is also ready to take up arms against any invading force.