On October 25, it was officially announced that the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group would soon leave the Mediterranean Sea and head toward the Caribbean, in what appeared to be a major strategic redeployment ordered by Washington.
Following that announcement, the carrier left Split, Croatia—where it had been moored for a port visit—and set course southward. During the night between October 26 and 27, the ship exited the Adriatic Sea and entered the Ionian Sea, where it was also located yesterday.
However, contrary to expectations, the USS Gerald R. Ford has not continued its route westward. As confirmed by the track of a C-2A Greyhound aircraft returning to NAS Sigonella earlier today, the carrier remains in the same area of the Ionian Sea.
If the strike group is indeed heading for the Caribbean, the movement appears to be unfolding at a very slow pace. After two days spent in roughly the same position, it remains to be seen whether the Ford will accelerate its transit in the coming days—or if, instead, the decision to leave the Mediterranean has been temporarily reconsidered.
If they were to be close Jamaica soon, they would face other emergencies than putting some more pressure on Venezuela. And USA may not want to get in to this?