The United States has deployed seven warships and a nuclear-powered fast attack submarine to the Southern Caribbean, sending more than 4,500 sailors and marines to the region, Reuters reported. The operation has raised questions over whether Washington’s stated goal of combating drug cartels is the only motive.

President Donald Trump has said dismantling narcotics networks is central to his administration’s agenda. Senior White House aide Stephen Miller added on Friday that the deployment was intended to “combat and dismantle drug trafficking organizations, criminal cartels and these foreign terrorist organizations in our hemisphere.”

But defence analysts note that most narcotics bound for the United States are shipped across the Pacific rather than the Atlantic. A considerable portion of Caribbean flows also arrives by air, limiting the potential impact of a naval presence.

Officials in Caracas believe Venezuela may be the true target. Earlier this month, Washington doubled its reward to 50 million US dollars for information leading to the arrest of President Nicolás Maduro, citing allegations of drug trafficking and ties to organised crime.

Venezuelan leaders, including Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello and UN ambassador Samuel Moncada, accused the United States of threatening their sovereignty in violation of international treaties. Defence Minister General Vladimir Padrino said at a civil defence event on Friday: “Venezuelans know who is behind these military threats by the United States against our country. We are not drug traffickers, we are noble and hard-working people.”