US Jets Fly to Venezuela’s Neighbor Amid Tensions in Caribbean

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Ryan Chan is a Newsweek reporter based in Hong Kong, where he previously had over a decade of experience at a local newspaper, covering China and current events around the world. His focus is on security and defense issues in the Western Pacific region. He is a graduate of Hong Kong Baptist University. You can get in touch with Ryan by emailing r.chan@newsweek.com.

Ryan Chan

China News Reporter

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Tensions in the Caribbean remain high as the United States has sent strike aircraft to Guyana—locked in a border dispute with Venezuela—in a show of support for the partner’s sovereignty and territorial integrity while demonstrating American air power.

Newsweek has emailed Venezuela‘s Embassy in Beijing, China, for comment.

Why It Matters

The U.S. is intensifying counternarcotics operations targeting Venezuela, maintaining a strong presence of warships and fighter jets in the Caribbean. Last week, U.S. forces struck a drug-carrying vessel that had departed from Venezuela, killing 11 people.

Guyana, which established a partnership with the U.S. in 1966, has a centuries-long border dispute with its western neighbor Venezuela over the oil-rich Essequibo region, a Guyana-administered territory that makes up two-thirds of the country’s land area.

During his visit to Guyana in March, Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that if the Venezuelan regime attacks the U.S. partner or ExxonMobil—which operates in the Essequibo region—it would be a “very bad day” that would not end well for them.

What To Know

During the inauguration of Guyanese President Irfaan Ali in Georgetown on Sunday, two U.S. AV-8B aircraft conducted a flyover, which “symbolizes our full solidarity with the people of Guyana,” the U.S. Embassy in the South American country said.

“This flyover reflects the strength of U.S. air power, our partnership with Guyana, and our continued support for Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the embassy said, adding that it was conducted in collaboration with the government of Guyana.

The AV-8B is a strike aircraft used for close air support, intermediate-range intercepts, and attack missions. It is one of the aircraft operated from the U.S. Navy amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima, currently deployed near Puerto Rico for a training exercise.

Both Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine visited the Iwo Jima to meet service members while the ship was operating in the Caribbean Sea on Monday, photos released by the U.S. Navy show.

In addition to the military flyover, the U.S. Embassy in Guyana said senior officials from the Defense and State departments visited the country to attend the inauguration and meet local leaders, strengthening and expanding the bilateral strategic partnership.

What People Are Saying

The U.S. Embassy in Guyana said in a post on social media platform X on Tuesday: “The U.S.-Guyana partnership dates back to 1966, and we look forward to strengthening our security and defense cooperation to promote peace in the region and support Guyana’s territorial integrity.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said during his visit to Guyana in March: “There will be consequences for adventurism. There will be consequences for aggressive actions… That is not what we want to be a feature of our relationship, but it is a necessity of our relationship, because you have a very difficult challenge on your hands with a dictator that’s making illegitimate territorial claims.”

What Happens Next

It remains to be seen whether the U.S. will further increase its military presence in the Caribbean.