Puerto Rico has a long and proud tradition of U.S. military service, stretching back before the annexation of Puerto Rico by the United States, and has been home to U.S. military bases. More recently, increases in U.S. military presence in the Caribbean have set the region on edge. High level officials from the Pentagon have visited troops in Puerto Rico, officially in order to thank them as an observance of Thanksgiving. Is the military buildup temporary, and does it presage a larger conflict with Venezuela?
U.S. relations with Venezuela have been tense for many years. In January, Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro caught headlines by threatening to “liberate” Puerto Rico from the United States. In June, Venezuela was again among a group of U.S. adversaries calling for Puerto Rican independence before the United Nations Special Committee on Decolonization, which annually reviews the U.S.-Puerto Rico relationship.
In 2023, then-Resident Commissioner Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon addressed the U.N. Special Committee in response to efforts by U.S. adversaries advancing independence for Puerto Rico. She said: “It is no surprise that Cuba, Bolivia, Nicaragua, Russia, Syria, and Venezuela, who are amongst the worst human rights violators and anti-democratic regimes in the world, are once again calling for Puerto Rico’s independence in an attempt to advance their anti-American agenda and grow their influence in the region.”
Is the military buildup temporary?
Some sources have described the increasing military presence in the Caribbean as part of a campaign against Latin American drug cartels. While Roosevelt Roads, once the world’s largest naval base, is being used for logistics, the theory goes, it is not being reopened as a military base. Puerto Rico is simply the nearest U.S. jurisdiction to the waterways where the military operations are being undertaken.
On the other hand, the Department of Defense (DoD) is planning to issue a multimillion-dollar contract for a year’s worth of food for troops in Puerto Rico, according to documents reviewed by The Latino Newsletter. Related reports suggests that the build up will require long-term support. President Trump has not ruled out military action against Venezuela, and tensions appear to be increasing.
Meanwhile, U.S. investments in logistics and infrastructure continue to grow, making it seem likely that Puerto Rico will be a strategic and logistics hub in the future even if tensions with Venezuela are reduced.
What’s the future for the U.S. and Venezuela?
Certainly, if the United States goes to war with Venezuela, Puerto Rico is a logical choice for staging attacks. But war has not been declared. The White House still describes the current military forays as part of a war on drugs. News outlets around the world are taking on the question from a variety of points of view, but most have not reached a conclusion.
CNN has suggested that war is in the offing, staying that “Trump fueled expectations of looming warfare in Venezuela by warning on Thanksgiving Day that the US will ‘very soon’ start taking action to stop alleged drug-trafficking networks on land.”
The BBC quotes “an Americas Specialist” as saying, “The level of forces, and the fact that they are plainly not tailored for the purpose of pure drug interdiction has raised suspicions the US may be heading towards war with Venezuela.” The quote continues, “The escalation risks are significant, but I think that within the Trump Administration there is still considerable debate over what will come next.”
The Miami Herald reported on talks between Washington and Caracas. “As Washington prepares to launch land attacks inside Venezuela, a long-awaited phone call between the White House and Caracas aimed at defusing the crisis carried a blunt message for strongman Nicolás Maduro: You can save yourself and those closest to you, but you must leave the country now, sources familiar with the exchange told the Miami Herald,” the article explained. “One source said the call, viewed as a last-ditch effort to avoid a direct confrontation, stalled over three issues.” These included a demand for Maduro’s immediate abdication, Maduro’s request for immunity, and a call to allow Venezuela’s current government to retain control of the military.
What’s the goal?
While the Trump administration continues to claim that the goal of the military buildup in the Caribbean is to reduce drug trafficking into the United States, many observers believe that the ultimate goal is regime change in Venezuela.
The effects on Puerto Rico may not be part of the equation for decision makers in Washington. Improvements in infrastructure and an economic boost could be positive effects, but these benefits could come at a high cost. Direct involvement in the conflict would create vulnerability for the Island. Either way, Puerto Rico’s limited voice in Congress makes it harder for the territory to add its perspectives and influence U.S. decision making.
