US Missile Cruiser Crosses Panama Canal In Escalation Of Naval Deployment Near Venezuela

(MENAFN- Khaama Press) A U.S. guided-missile cruiser transited the Panama Canal toward the Caribbean amid mounting naval deployments. The move underscores growing U.S. military presence near Venezuela and regional tensions.
A U.S. Navy guided-missile cruiser has crossed the Panama Canal and is heading toward the Caribbean, according to international media reports on Friday night.

AFP reported that the warship was spotted transiting from the Pacific Ocean into the Caribbean Sea on August 30, though U.S. officials have not yet issued a formal statement.

The movement follows Washington's announcement of increased naval deployments in the Caribbean, part of what the Trump administration has described as an expanded campaign to counter drug trafficking networks operating near Venezuela.

Reuters noted that U.S. forces have been carrying out maritime operations in the region for several years, but the latest deployment is seen as a direct message to the Maduro government, which faces Western sanctions and diplomatic isolation.

U.S. President Donald Trump had previously sparked controversy by suggesting that Washington might take control of the Panama Canal, a remark that drew sharp criticism in Panama and across Latin America.

The canal, one of the world's most strategic waterways, links the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans via the Caribbean Sea and remains vital to global trade and shipping routes.

Analysts told Al Jazeera that the deployment signals Washington's intent to maintain a military presence in the Caribbean and South America, raising questions about potential escalations with Venezuela and regional security implications.

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