The Gerald Ford aircraft carrier strike group has entered the Latin America region, escalating U.S. military presence in the Caribbean, according to two U.S. officials.

Ordered by President Donald Trump last month, the deployment adds to existing forces in the area, which include eight warships, a nuclear submarine, and F-35 aircraft.

Officials did not specify the carrier’s exact location but confirmed it is within the U.S. Southern Command’s area of responsibility, covering extensive parts of the ocean near Latin America, USA Today has reported.

The move has heightened tensions with Venezuela amid ongoing regional pressures.