While it might seem minor it was yet another sign of Venezuela’s need to publicize its rapprochement with China in the midst of tension with the US.

Tensions in the Caribbean are surging as the United States dispatched three Aegis-equipped destroyers—the USS Gravely, USS Jason Dunham, and USS Sampson—to waters near Venezuela, aiming to bolster its counter-narcotics operations, according to U.S. defense officials.

The three destroyers—USS Gravely, USS Jason Dunham, and USS Sampson—are Aegis-equipped and capable of advanced missile defense. According to the Trump administration, the ships are part of a broader initiative aimed at countering drug cartels in Latin America and “protecting American citizens.”