U.S. Military, Coast Guard Helicopter Seen In Puerto Rico As Tensions Grow

CARIBBEAN – U.S. military activity intensified in the Caribbean on Thursday as coast guard helicopters and U.S. Marines Osprey Aircraft operated from an airfield in Ponce, part of a broader Washington buildup amid heightened tensions with Venezuela.

Video from the scene showed a coast guard helicopter flying near the airport, while multiple marines ospreys landed, taxied and took off from the tarmac.

The moves come as the United States has stepped up its presence in the region following months of pressure on Venezuela, including strikes on suspected drug-smuggling vessels. Warnings of potential military action and designating the Cartel De Los Soles as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.

Officials have not confirmed the mission details in Ponce but the activity underscores Washington’s increasing focus on Caribbean security and regional stability.