The Pentagon reported that the U.S. Marine Corps has recently conducted training on Puerto Rican soil, including landing and infiltration maneuvers, at a time marked by Washington’s increased military deployment in the Caribbean and growing fears of an attack on Venezuela.
The U.S. Army Southern Command, whose jurisdiction includes Latin America with the exception of Mexico, published a message on the social network X, accompanied by a video, in which it informs that the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit conducted “training operations in Puerto Rico”.
Marines perform landing maneuvers
Ready for rapid response: U.S. Marines with the @22nd_MEU conduct training operations in Puerto Rico. U.S. military forces are deployed to the Caribbean in support of the #SOUTHCOM mission, @DeptofWar-directed operations, and @POTUS‘ priorities to disrupt illicit drug trafficking… pic.twitter.com/cxClR61U3X
– U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) November 1, 2025
The footage shows an LCAC – a large hovercraft carrying troops, vehicles and equipment – conducting an amphibious landing supported by several units of UH-1Y transport helicopters, from which the Marines also rehearsed landings, and Apache attack helicopters.
The images, accompanied by dramatic music to mimic a typical action movie trailer, then show Marine squads moving in Polaris MRZRs – light, all-terrain tactical vehicles designed to transport troops in difficult terrain – then securing firing positions and continuing with infiltration operations.
“U.S. military forces are deployed to the Caribbean in support of the Southern Command mission, War Department-led operations, and the U.S. President’s priorities to disrupt the illicit drug trade and protect the homeland,” the message concludes.
The training, which comes on top of live-fire exercises also conducted by Marines from an assault ship this week in the Caribbean, comes a day after several U.S. media outlets claimed, citing sources close to the White House, that Washington is preparing to attack military positions in Venezuela.
The Trump Administration’s alleged argument is that ports or airfields – which would be among the primary targets – controlled by the Venezuelan Army are actually used for logistical purposes for drug trafficking by organizations such as the Cartel of the Suns, which according to Washington is led by Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro himself and the leadership of his government and the Armed Forces.
In recent days, the Pentagon has redoubled the deployment it began during the summer in Caribbean waters off Venezuela, with the dispatch, among others, of its largest and most sophisticated aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald Ford.
With this large contingent, the U.S. Army has summarily destroyed more than a dozen boats allegedly linked to drug trafficking, attacks in which most of their occupants have been killed.
U.S. President Donald Trump himself and his Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, denied on the eve that Washington is preparing to attack Venezuela, despite the undisputed increase in military pressure on Caracas.
Filed as: Marines perform landing maneuvers
With information from EFE
