(NewsNation) The U.S. Navy is reportedly deploying more ships filled with troops to the southern Caribbean as part of the Trump administrations fight against Latin American criminal drug cartels that have been designated as foreign terrorist organizations.The USS Lake Erie and USS Newport News are the latest ships to be sent to the region to join the fight against criminal cartels that President Donald Trump and other top officials have characterized as narco-terrorist groups, Reuters reported, citing sources.The ships are expected to arrive in the southern Caribbean by early next week, the report indicated.Smugglers turn to car batteries to hide drugs across the borderThe addition of the USS Lake Erie, a guided missile cruiser, and the USS Newport News, a nuclear-powered submarine, came just days after three ships the USS San Antonio, the USS Iwo Jima and the USS Fort Lauderdale arrived in the region Sunday, carrying more than 4,500 troops, including 2,200 Marines.A U.S. Navy spokesperson, whom NewsNation was directed to on Tuesday by the U.S. Southern Command seeking comment on the deployment and the role of troops sent to the region, did not immediately respond to multiple messages.The USS Gravely, USS Sampson and the USS Jason Dunham were also recently sent to the Venezuelan coast as part of the larger military effort, NewsNation previously reported. U.S. officials will not specify how the ships or troops sent to the Caribbean will be used. However, federal officials have previously stated that the military troops will be used in the efforts to stop cartels rather than waging a war against Venezuela.Why are military troops on Naval ships being sent to Venezuela?Venezuelan President Nicols Maduro has indicated he is deploying 15,000 troops to the border with Colombia, backed by boats, aircraft and drones. On state TV, he accused Washington of fueling a dangerous escalation. Maduro is calling on Colombian authorities to do the same to ensure peace in the area.President Nicolas Maduro photo by AP. USS Sampson photo taken in 2024 by Joaquin Sarmiento, via Getty.Last week, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt would not provide details about the military deployment to the region, but said Trump has been clear and consistent in his messaging in fighting criminal cartels.Hes prepared to use every element of American power to stop drugs from flooding into our country and to bring those responsible to justice, Leavitt told reporters.Church message on immigration a reality check for South Texas congregationThe Trump administration has accused Maduro and the president of Colombia of working with the Cartel de los Soles, which has been designated as a terrorist organization in recent weeks.Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell recently told NewsNation that the fight against cartels "requires a whole-of-government effort" and that the Department of Defense will "undoubtedly play an important role" in Trump's objective to eliminate the cartels' ability to threaten the safety and security of the United States and its residents. Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed the fact that the U.S. still doesnt recognize the Maduro regime as a legitimate government. The Justice and State departments announced a $50 million reward for information that leads to Maduros arrest.In a social media post, Attorney General Pam Bondi said Maduro uses foreign terrorist organizations like Tren de Aragua, the Sinaloa cartel and Cartel de los Soles also known as the Cartel of the Suns to bring deadly drugs and violence into the United States.Bondi said to date, the DEA has linked 30 tons of cocaine to Maduro and his associates, with nearly seven tons linked to Maduro himself. She said that cocaine is often linked to fentanyl and that the Department of Justice has already seized more than $700 million in Maduro-linked assets, including private jets and other vehicles.Bondi called Maduro a threat to U.S. national security.Earlier this month, Trump secretly signed a directive to the Pentagon to begin using military force against certain Latin American drug cartels, The New York Times reported.The report indicated that U.S. military officials have already begun planning on how troops will be used to combat the cartels. However, also at play are possible legal issues over whether civilians, even those with criminal convictions or backgrounds who do not pose an imminent threat, who were killed by U.S. troops, would be considered murdered, the New York Times report indicated.NewsNation's Joe Khalil and the Associated Press provided reporting to this story.