Largest Western Hemisphere exercise stirs geopolitical concerns over U.S. operations in the Caribbean.
Between September 15 and October 6, 2025, U.S. Southern Command (SouthCom) is leading the 56th edition of the multinational naval exercise UNITAS, the longest-running exercise of its kind in the Western Hemisphere. This year’s drills occur off the U.S. East Coast, reports 24brussels.
The exercises, which began during the Cold War, previously supported the 1973 coup in Chile that overthrew President Salvador Allende. Currently, UNITAS 2025 unfolds against a backdrop marked by U.S. military presence in the Caribbean, officially framed as a campaign against international drug trafficking.
Approximately 8,000 troops, including multiple surface ships, submarines, aircraft, and unmanned systems, are actively participating in these exercises. Operations are conducted near naval bases in Florida, North Carolina, and Virginia and include air defense, anti-submarine warfare, maritime interdiction, amphibious landings, live-fire drills, and the integration of unmanned systems.
Participating nations include Argentina, Belize, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Mexico, Morocco, the Netherlands, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, the United States, and Uruguay. “This year’s UNITAS exercise is expected to be one of the largest in history, only comparable to UNITAS Gold, the drill marking its 50th anniversary,” stated Patrick Cooper, lead planner for UNITAS 2025.
The UNITAS exercises originated from the First Naval Conference in Panama in 1959 and have evolved under the Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance (TIAR). Initially involving fewer nations, the focus was primarily on Soviet countermeasures during the Cold War. Since 1999, the exercise has adopted a three-phase format — Atlantic, Pacific, and Caribbean — rotating locations annually.
Previously, UNITAS 2018 was criticized as a mechanism for a maritime blockade against Venezuela. Jose Negron Valera described it as “nothing more than a façade” to impose such measures. This coincided with strained relations and U.S. diplomatic efforts aimed at isolating Venezuela in the region.
In December 2024, reports surfaced regarding SouthCom leading the 2023 Tradewinds military exercises in Guyana, which also included joint operations with the Guyana Defense Force shortly after Venezuela’s national referendum. Exporting U.S. military capabilities, including F/A-18F Super Hornet flights over Georgetown, has raised concerns among regional governments regarding sovereignty and U.S. intentions.
The massive UNITAS 2025 exercise is perceived as part of a broader strategy to exert psychological pressure on the Venezuelan government. Concurrently, U.S. naval deployments are intended to monitor drug flows from Venezuela, as noted by sources like Diario de las Americas.
As tensions rise, Argentine President Javier Milei’s recent actions regarding Argentina’s involvement in UNITAS 2025 suggest a possible alignment with U.S. interests against Venezuela. Formalization of Argentina’s participation, through Emergency and Necessity Decree 521/2025, highlights the shifting dynamics and potential escalation in the region amid a backdrop of drug trafficking concerns.
