Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Dan Caine made a surprise trip to Puerto Rico on Monday, amid the Trump administration’s push to counter drug cartels in Latin America and the Caribbean Sea via the U.S. military.

The visit — announced by Puerto Rico Gov. Jenniffer González-Colón (R) in a social media post — comes after President Trump last week claimed a military strike on a boat in the Caribbean killed 11 drug smugglers. Trump has asserted that the vessel was carrying narcotics from Venezuela and headed to the United States. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has denied these accusations.

The U.S. also in recent weeks has moved forces and lethal assets into the Caribbean, including at least eight warships, an attack submarine, and more than 4,000 s

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