The United States has deployed 10 F-35 stealth fighter jets to Puerto Rico as a part of its escalating anti-drug operations targeting Caribbean drug cartels. This move comes amid increasing tensions with Venezuela, where reports indicate that President Trump is intensifying efforts against narcotics trafficking that allegedly funnels drugs into the US. Experts warn that the deployment of US naval forces may lead to a shift in drug trafficking routes towards the Pacific, while military exercises in the region are seen as a show of force in the face of Venezuelan provocations.