U.S. Marines conducted a maritime interdiction exercise aboard the USS San Antonio (LPD-17) off the coast of Venezuela, in a show of strength that U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) publicly shared this Wednesday through images and videos.
According to what was published by SOUTHCOM on its social media, the action carried out on July 17 falls within the Southern Spear Operation and addresses the priorities of the U.S. president to "interrupt illicit drug trafficking, deter malicious actors, and protect national territory."
The military command described the exercise as a demonstration of "teamwork and preparation" of the forces deployed in the Caribbean.
The II Marine Expeditionary Force (II MEF) also published photographs of the exercise, showcasing marines from the Littoral Combat Force-24 conducting a boarding drill, with Bell UH-1Y Venom helicopters lowering personnel via ropes onto the deck of the amphibious ship.
The Littoral Combat Force-24, known as the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, is made up of approximately 1,300 Marines and Sailors under the command of Colonel Ryan Lynch and operates as a readiness force for SOUTHCOM in the region.
The deployment of these 1,300 marines in the Caribbean was announced at the end of May.
The exercise occurred just a week after the same vessel completed a humanitarian mission in Venezuela.
The USS San Antonio arrived at the Port of La Guaira on July 9 to relieve the USS Fort Lauderdale as the main component of the humanitarian assistance from Southern Command following the earthquakes on June 24, which resulted in at least 3,342 deaths and estimated damages of 37 billion dollars according to the UN.
The political context in which these exercises are taking place is one of maximum bilateral tension. Since the capture of Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces on January 3, 2026, the Venezuelan government has been led by the acting president Delcy Rodríguez, who has staunchly opposed the military presence of the U.S. in the region.
The chavista regime described the exercises as "military harassment" and "false flag operation," and Rodríguez warned that those who bet on military intervention "will fare very poorly."
This is not the first U.S. military action of this kind in recent months. In May, the U.S. Embassy in Caracas conducted an evacuation drill using MV-22 Osprey aircraft from the Marine Corps, and in January, Washington repositioned the USS San Antonio and the USS Iwo Jima to the Atlantic and authorized the interception of vessels at sea.
The pattern of U.S. military deployment in the Caribbean has steadily intensified throughout 2026, with operations that combine naval presence, amphibious exercises, and aerial surveillance in waters near Venezuela.
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