Donald Trump announced that the US military conducted a strike targeting alleged drug traffickers, resulting in the deaths of three individuals referred to as “narcoterrorists.” The specific group and origin of the vessel struck by a “lethal kinetic strike” remain undisclosed. However, Trump stated on his Truth Social media platform that the vessel was associated with a Designated Terrorist Organization and engaged in narcotrafficking within the USSOUTHCOM region.
USSOUTHCOM, also known as US Southern Command, operates in Latin America, south of Mexico, and the adjacent waters of Central and South America, as well as the Caribbean Sea. According to Trump, intelligence reports confirmed that the targeted vessel was transporting illicit narcotics through a known narcotrafficking route aimed at distributing drugs to Americans.
Furthermore, Trump shared a video depicting the moment of the strike, showing the vessel being hit by missiles and sinking in a fiery explosion. White House communications director Steven Cheung’s statement accompanying the video emphasized the repercussions faced by the narcoterrorists involved.
This recent strike follows a previous operation on September 2, where a drug-carrying speedboat was targeted, resulting in the death of 11 individuals. The Trump administration identified the operator of the boat as the Tren de Aragua gang, previously designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the US.
The administration defended the military action as a necessary measure to curtail the influx of drugs into the United States. However, concerns have been raised by some senators, including Democrats and Republicans, along with human rights organizations, regarding the legality and potential executive overreach of Trump’s decision to utilize the military for law enforcement purposes.
The administration has not clarified how the military assessed the cargo on the targeted vessels or determined the alleged gang affiliations of the passengers prior to the strikes. National security officials informed Congress members that the initial vessel was fired upon multiple times after altering its course towards the shore.
These strikes coincide with an increased presence of US maritime forces in the Caribbean and reflect a significant shift in the approach to combating drug trafficking in the Western Hemisphere. Speculations in Venezuela suggest that the strikes may be part of a broader strategy to undermine President Nicolás Maduro, a notion echoed by the Venezuelan leader himself.
Maduro disputed the authenticity of the US video released by Trump, claiming it was generated using artificial intelligence and questioning the plausibility of a vessel of that size operating in open waters. He accused the Trump administration of using drug trafficking allegations as a pretext for military actions aimed at intimidating and instigating regime change in Venezuela.
