Retired Australian Army Major General Mick Ryan, speaking to CNN on Sunday, described the deployment as a classic "carrot-and-stick" approach. Even with Maduro in U.S. custody, Ryan believes the forces will remain in place to encourage cooperation from whoever holds power in Caracas.
“The Trump administration is clearly keen to have the Venezuelan government that remains to work with them,” Ryan said. “One of the ways to ensure that happens is retaining this large military presence offshore, saying: ‘Listen, we’d rather use a carrot, but we still have the stick there if we need to’.”
The buildup began last year as part of an intensified counter-narcotics campaign. U.S. Navy ships and aircraft struck dozens of suspected drug-running boats and blocked sanctioned oil tankers from entering or leaving Venezuelan ports – moves aimed at squeezing Maduro's regime financially and logistically.
Now, with Acting President Delcy Rodríguez in charge and tensions high, keeping those assets nearby sends a clear message: cooperation brings rewards (like potential investment in oil infrastructure), while resistance risks escalation.
Ryan's insight draws from decades of strategic experience – he knows pressure works best when it's visible but restrained. For ordinary Venezuelans hoping for stability and economic relief, this offshore show of force might feel intimidating, yet it could also pave the way for the aid and investment many desperately need.
In uncertain times like these, military posture often speaks louder than words. The question now: Will Caracas reach for the carrot, or test the stick?