With thousands of American service members now stationed in the Caribbean, many are asking what is driving the growing tension between the United States and Venezuela.

President Donald Trump has ordered airspace around Venezuela closed and said Tuesday that land strikes on countries producing illegal narcotics could begin soon. Trump recently spoke with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro but has released few details about the call.

Tensions Rising

The Navy’s most advanced aircraft carrier, the USS Ford , remains positioned in the Caribbean. Nearly 15,000 sailors and Marines are stationed in the region — the largest presence there in generations.

In Washington, the White House recently designated top Venezuelan officials as members of a foreign terrorist organization for alleged ties

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