The United States has launched a high-altitude balloon for continuous air surveillance over the Caribbean region. The device took off from Antonio Neri Juarbe Pol Airport in Arecibo, Puerto Rico, and is currently in flight, according to the San Juan Air Traffic Control Center, which coordinates air traffic over the island and adjacent waters near Venezuela.

The launch occurred amid a significant buildup of the American military presence in the area. Satellite images and Reuters photos from October 29 show active work at the former Roosevelt Roads Naval Air Station in Ceiba, Puerto Rico. Runway repairs are underway, tents are being erected near the runway, and temporary structures are being constructed. The base, closed in 2004, officially reopened on November 14 under orders from President Donald Trump to prepare forces in the Caribbean for possible operations against Venezuela.

Local residents and experts note that these measures strengthen the US strategic position 500 miles off the Venezuelan coast. Photos show the parking of F-35Bs, MV-22 Osprey helicopters, and C-5 Galaxy heavy-lift aircraft, as well as the restoration of a control tower. According to CBS News, the base now serves as a logistics hub for operations in the Western Hemisphere, including the counternarcotics campaign.