DISINFO: The US is sending a hospital ship to the Caribbean as preparation for an intervention in Venezuela
SUMMARY
The decision to send US Navy hospital ship USNS Comfort to the Caribbean is part of the preparations for a military intervention in Venezuela against the government of Nicolas Maduro.
RESPONSE
There is no evidence to support the claim that this is part of a wider deployment for a military intervention even if the decision to send the hospital ship near Venezuela has been criticised for alleged contributing to a rise in tensions. The USNS Comfort carries no weapons, has a clearly defined status as a non-combatant vessel and its crew are mostly composed of navy specialists in non-fighting roles and civilians. Similar allegations were made when the same ship was sent to the Colombian coast to treat Venezuelan refugees last November. You can see other examples of disinformation regarding alleged preparations for a military intervention in Venezuela here, here and here.