The US aircraft carrier fleet has arrived in the Caribbean amid rising tensions with Cuba following the US announcement of criminal charges against Raul Castro.
On 20 May 2026, the US military issued a statement that the US 11th Carrier Strike Group, led by the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz, had arrived in the Caribbean amid escalating tensions with Cuba after the US announced charges against former President Raul Castro.
The US Southern Command stated on X, “The USS Nimitz aircraft carrier, Carrier Air Wing 17 operating aboard, USS Gridley, and USNS Patuxent represent symbols of readiness and persistence, with unmatched operational range and destructive power, as well as strategic advantage.”
“The USS Nimitz has demonstrated combat capability worldwide, serving to ensure security and defend democracy from the Taiwan Strait to the Arabian Gulf.”
This post was made on the same day the administration of President Donald Trump announced criminal charges against former Cuban President Raul Castro.
Previously, CNN reported that Cuban officials view these charges as paving the way for military intervention. Former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro faced similar charges before US military operations captured him in January, resulting in his detention and trial in the US.
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel stated on Monday that Cuba “has the legitimate and absolute right to defend itself against military attacks,” warning that such attacks would “lead to bloodshed with incalculable consequences.”
Source:cnn