Mexico and Venezuela are particularly concerned about the arrival of 4,000 American troops as reinforcements in the Caribbean in the name of combating drug trafficking. The naval force consists of an amphibious assault ship—the USS Iwo Jima, a transport ship—the USS San Antonio—and a landing ship—the USS Fort Lauderdale—while a nuclear submarine and several cruise ships and destroyers were already in the area.
Since the invasion of Panama in 1989 and the violent ouster of dictator Manuel Noriega, already a drug trafficker, there have not been so many American troops in the Caribbean. Nicolas Maduro, the elected president of Venezuela, is worried and is recalling reservist troops. Because fighting against narco traffic could be the perfect scapegoat to overthrow the Chavista revolution, which has humiliated the american government for thirty years (since the failed US coup against Hugo Chavez in 2002 under President George W. Bush).