The U.S. Navy arrived at El Faro beach in Arroyo, Puerto Rico, on Monday, September 22nd, 2025, to transfer armored vehicles and other military equipment. These operations are part of exercises coordinated with the Puerto Rico National Guard and involve the withdrawal of materials used in recent transport practices by the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU). Mayor Eric Bachier confirmed that the maneuvers, which were previously notified to the community, would continue throughout the day and would not involve the use of weapons. He also stated that the impact on the local ecosystem and residents has been minimal, with no further military activities anticipated after the shipping concludes. This development follows a U.S. Coast Guard interception of a vessel carrying 103 Haitian migrants off the Turks and Caicos earlier on September 22nd, 2025. The U.S. stance on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro's regime remained firm, with White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt calling his letter "full of lies" and reiterating the U.S. commitment to combating drug trafficking. Separately, on September 22nd, 2025, the Dominican Republic reported the seizure and destruction of 377 packages of cocaine from a speedboat by the U.S. Navy. A draft White House bill is also moving forward to expand President Donald Trump's authority for operations against drug cartels.
