(WASHINGTON) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group and its accompanying aircraft to the waters around Central and South America, a move that would likely add some 5,000 troops to the region and significant firepower designed to ratchet up pressure against the Venezuelan government.

The strike group, which is currently operating near Croatia, would likely need at least several days if not weeks to arrive, suggesting that a military attack against Venezuela is not imminent.

“These forces will enhance and augment existing capabilities to disrupt narcotics trafficking and degrade and dismantle TCOs,” or transnational criminal organizations, said Pentagon chief spokesperson Sean Parnell.

The move, however, is significant and raises questions abo

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