New images show Marines training at a forested compound in Puerto Rico amid fears that a US invasion of Venezuela is imminent.
The 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit released a series of photographs. depicting training operations since late September on his Facebook page over the past few weeks.
Most shows exercise in dense Puerto Rican forest near the Santiago camp – base owned and operated Puerto Rico National Guard. This happened after the expert said Trump is creating a huge national security threat with his “senseless” decision on Venezuela.
Others show videos of training operations, including video of Marines loading and firing mortars into an empty field near a forest.
More have been shown of Marines rappelling from helicopters, storming beaches in hovercraft from Navy ships, or piloting tanks on beaches and fields. Some of them can be seen making their way through the forest, cutting away bushes as they head towards the training targets.
Each post details what is shown in the images or videos, as well as the location of each exercise. Most are labeled “Puerto Rico,” while others are labeled “Caribbean.”
“U.S. military forces are deployed to the Caribbean in support of the U.S. Southern Command mission, War Department-led operations, and the President's priorities of interdicting drug trafficking and defending the homeland,” each states. There are dozens of them.
Part of the troops' mission is to “beautify” a Cold War-era naval base that was created to keep Cuba and the Red Scare threat in the Caribbean under control.
DON'T MISS…
“Marines from 26th Combat Logistics Battalion and Amphibious Team 3/6, 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) conduct engineering work to improve Camp Santiago base facilities and landscaping at Camp Santiago, Puerto Rico, September 23, 2025,” one post reads.
It's worth noting that the lush jungles of Puerto Rico are very similar to the landscape of Venezuela, located about 550 miles to the south. Military analysts told the Daily Mail that the similarities are no coincidence.
“The United States is trying to make sure it has sufficient infrastructure to carry out any order from the president,” Mark Montgomery, a retired rear admiral who spent time in Puerto Rico in the 1980s, told the Mail.
Donald Trump is stepping up its rhetoric against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, even hinting that he will try to overthrow the country's authoritarian regime.
On Sunday, the president was asked whether the Venezuelan leader's days were numbered. He replied: “I think so.”
This is where Puerto Rico comes into play – it is in a strategic location in case Trump decides to launch an invasion of the South American country.
“If the president wants to mount an aggressive air campaign or proactively position air elements for use against Maduro, you need as many functional forward airports and logistics facilities as possible,” Montgomery added.
