The USS Gerald R. Ford , the United States’ most advanced aircraft carrier, arrived in the Caribbean Sea on Sunday, the U.S. Navy confirmed, amid rising tensions between the U.S. and nearby nations. Days earlier, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro , whom Washington does not recognize as the country’s legitimate leader, called for peace between the two nations.

Newsweek has reached out to the Pentagon and Navy for comment via email on Sunday.

Why It Matters

The Trump administration is continuing to build up its military campaign in the Caribbean where it has deployed naval and air forces in what it has framed as a crackdown on narcotics smuggling.

At least 80 people have been killed in U.S. strikes on 20 alleged drug boats in the southern Caribbean and eastern Pacific si

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