The US military is increasing its presence in Puerto Rico as the Trump administration prepares for a possible clash with Venezuela over alleged drug trafficking. Ten thousand troops, advanced jets, drones and the USS Iwo Jima now sit on an island still scarred by decades of military pollution. What does this new buildup mean for Puerto Rico’s future?

In this episode:
Israel Melendez Ayala (@IsraelAyala144), Writer and Historian

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Tracie Hunte, Noor Wazwaz, and Sarí el-Khalili, with Diana Ferrero, Haleema Shah, Fatima Shafiq, Farhan Rafid, Tamara Khandaker, and our guest host, Natasha Del Toro. It was edited by Kylene Kiang. 

Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Rick Rush mixed this episode. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad Al-Melhem. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio.

Connect with us:

@AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

The US military is increasing its presence in Puerto Rico as the Trump administration prepares for a possible clash with Venezuela over alleged drug trafficking. Ten thousand troops, advanced jets, drones and the USS Iwo Jima now sit on an island still scarred by decades of military pollution. What does this new buildup mean for Puerto Rico&rsquo;s future?
In this episode:
<ul>
<li>Israel Melendez Ayala (<a href="https://x.com/IsraelAyala144">@IsraelAyala144</a>), Writer and Historian</li>
</ul>
Episode credits:
This episode was produced by Tracie Hunte, Noor Wazwaz, and Sar&iacute; el-Khalili, with Diana Ferrero, Haleema Shah, Fatima Shafiq, Farhan Rafid, Tamara Khandaker, and our guest host, Natasha Del Toro. It was edited by Kylene Kiang.&nbsp;
Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Rick Rush mixed this episode. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad Al-Melhem. Alexandra Locke is The Take&rsquo;s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera&rsquo;s head of audio.
Connect with us:
@AJEPodcasts on&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/AJEPodcasts">X</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/ajepodcasts/">Instagram</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/AJEPodcasts">Facebook</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzGHKb8i9vTwjZkiFu6LhzsLUKFkYO60I">YouTube</a>

The Take is a daily interview-driven international news podcast hosted by award-winning journalist Malika Bilal. Each episode focuses on conversations with journalists and people directly impacted by the news of the day, offering our listeners the context necessary to understand what's in the headlines.

With millions of global listens, it's clear the conversations we're having on The Take are worth hearing. And critics think so too. The show has won the Online Journalism Awards, the Signal Awards, Lovie Awards, and Anthem Awards, among others.

The Take is a daily interview-driven international news podcast hosted by award-winning journalist Malika Bilal. Each episode focuses on conversations with journalists and people directly impacted by the news of the day, offering our listeners the context necessary to understand what's in the headlines.
With millions of global listens, it's clear the conversations we're having on The Take are worth hearing. And critics think so too. The show has won the Online Journalism Awards, the Signal Awards, Lovie Awards, and Anthem Awards, among others.