USS Nimitz enters Caribbean amid US pressure on Cuba
The US aircraft carrier USS Nimitz and its escort warships have entered the southern Caribbean Sea on Wednesday.
They are expected to remain in the region for at least several days as part of the Trump administration’s broader campaign to increase pressure on the Cuban government, according to the US military’s Southern Command and a US official, News.Az reports, citing The New York Times.
According to current US assessments, the deployment of the Nimitz is intended as a demonstration of force rather than preparation for major combat operations.
A US official said the carrier and its fighter aircraft wing are being used as a show of military presence, unlike the aircraft carrier USS Gerald Ford, which was previously used in a commando raid that targeted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in January.
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The USS Nimitz had spent several weeks previously operating along the South American coastline as part of a planned training deployment. In recent days, it conducted joint exercises with the Brazilian navy.
Despite the timing of its arrival in the Caribbean, US officials have said the deployment is not directly linked to operational escalation. However, it coincides with the US Justice Department’s announcement of criminal charges against Raúl Castro, Cuba’s 94-year-old former president, which some observers have noted as a significant political development.
US Southern Command welcomed the carrier strike group on social media, stating: “Welcome to the Caribbean, Nimitz Carrier Strike Group!” and described the vessel as having proven combat capability across multiple global theatres, from the Taiwan Strait to the Arabian Gulf, highlighting its role in ensuring stability and strategic advantage.
At the same time, much of the US naval force previously concentrated in the region during earlier operations involving Venezuela has since been redeployed, including forces used in the January operation against Nicolás Maduro, which later supported US military activity in the Iran war. However, the amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima remains in the Caribbean, according to the US Navy.
By Nijat Babayev
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