HAVANA - Cuba on Thursday denounced the US military deployment in the Caribbean Sea under the pretext of fighting drug trafficking in the region.

"This dangerous move represents a serious threat and an aggressive show of force that undermines the sovereignty and self-determination of the peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean," Cuba's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

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Cuba rejected US allegations that Venezuela is linked to drug trafficking, calling the charges "an absurd and baseless pretext" for sending troops to the region.

It added that the United States is "the largest market for narcotics in the region and possibly in the world," citing the UN's 2025 World Drug Report.

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"Cuba reiterates its firm commitment to the honest and effective fight against illicit drug trafficking, the defense of national sovereignty, and the promotion of peace and stability in Latin America and the Caribbean," the ministry said.

The United States began to deploy warships and military personnel in Latin American and Caribbean waters earlier this month to combat regional drug cartels, according to US defense officials.