‘Invasion’: ‘How U.S. is preparing military staging ground’

The United States is revamping a once-abandoned Cold War-era naval base in the Caribbean, signaling potential long-term military operations that could extend to Venezuela, according to a Reuters visual investigation.

Construction work has resumed at the old Roosevelt Roads naval base in Puerto Rico, which the Navy closed more than two decades ago. Reuters photos taken on September 17 show crews clearing and repaving taxiways that lead to the runway.

Before its closure in 2004, Roosevelt Roads was among the largest U.S. naval installations in the world. One U.S. official told Reuters the site’s strategic position and vast space make it ideal for storing equipment and supporting military logistics.

Alongside runway upgrades at Roosevelt Roads, the U.S. military is also enhancing facilities at civilian airports in Puerto Rico and on St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands — both about 500 miles from Venezuela.

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Three U.S. military officials and three maritime analysts told Reuters the new developments suggest the Pentagon is preparing infrastructure that could facilitate operations inside Venezuela. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has long accused Washington of plotting to unseat him.

“All of these things are, I think, are designed to scare the pants off the Maduro regime and the generals around him, with the hope that it will create fissures,” said Christopher Hernandez-Roy, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington.

Over two months, Reuters monitored U.S. military movements using photographs, satellite imagery, ship and flight data, social media posts, and on-the-ground reporting. The investigation found that the buildup represents the largest U.S. deployment in the region not tied to disaster relief since 1994, when 20,000 troops were sent to Haiti for “Operation Uphold Democracy.”

Since early September, the U.S. has conducted at least 14 strikes on suspected drug vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific, killing 61 people. The increased activity has heightened tensions with Venezuela and Colombia and shifted focus to a region that has seen limited U.S. military engagement in recent years.

Asked about the expansion, the White House said President Donald Trump had pledged to confront drug cartels.“He has taken unprecedented action to stop the scourge of narcoterrorism that has resulted in the needless deaths of innocent Americans,” White House spokesperson Anna Kelly told Reuters.

The regional buildup began in August, marked by the arrival of warships, a nuclear-powered submarine, fighter jets, and surveillance aircraft. The Ford aircraft carrier strike group — carrying about 10,000 personnel and numerous aircraft — is currently moving from the Adriatic Sea. Satellite data shows one of its destroyers passing Gibraltar on October 29.

The Pentagon and the governor of Puerto Rico did not respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.

Rebuilding the Caribbean Bases
At Roosevelt Roads, crews have been improving taxiways in ways analysts say would allow the base to accommodate both cargo and fighter aircraft.

Mark Cancian, a retired U.S. Marine Corps colonel and CSIS senior adviser, said the upgrades appear to anticipate a rise in flight operations.
Reuters also observed portable air traffic and security systems being installed. Satellite images from October 29 reveal 20 new tents near an abandoned hangar.

Hernandez-Roy noted it’s possible the U.S. military is conducting routine maintenance. But he added: “If your focus is now going to be on Western Hemisphere, it makes perfect sense that you would want to reopen what was once a huge naval station and make sure that it can accommodate the range of airframes that the U.S. military uses.”

Satellite imagery also shows construction of what appears to be an ammunition storage facility, though experts said it’s unclear what kind of munitions could be housed there.“That’s very important,” Cancian said. “They could be used in the near-term for an operation against Venezuela.” He added the site could also be part of broader counter-cartel efforts.

Expanding Footprint on St. Croix
On St. Croix, new satellite photos taken in September and October show activity at Henry E. Rohlsen Airport, particularly near the apron where planes are serviced. Officials said such improvements could allow more U.S. military aircraft to park and refuel.

A local video obtained by Reuters shows a new radar system installed at the site.

Albert Bryan Jr., governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands, said coordination with U.S. forces exists but his office is not privy to future operational details.“He believes a regional presence of the U.S. military strengthens security and deters the trafficking of drugs and weapons through the territory,” his office said.

Hernandez-Roy said the radar upgrades could bolster regional surveillance and intercept drug flights. “The one gap in radar (coverage) that is a perennial problem for intercepting drug flights, is actually over Haiti, and it’s kind of like this big black hole,” he said.

The State Department notes that Haiti serves as a key transit point for cocaine and marijuana shipments moving from South America to the U.S. The Haitian embassy did not respond to Reuters’ request for comment.

Deploying Naval Power
Since August, at least 13 warships, five support vessels, and a nuclear submarine have been sent to the Caribbean from various naval bases — including the Gerald Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier.

Eight of those warships remain stationed in the region, supported by other vessels, according to Reuters and U.S. officials.

(REUTERS)