In a bold move against international drug trafficking, U.S. forces struck another vessel off the Venezuelan coast Saturday night, President Donald Trump announced Sunday. The operation, part of at least four recent maritime attacks, aims to intercept cocaine shipments bound for the United States.
Addressing sailors on the Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier at Naval Station Norfolk, Trump hailed the mission’s impact. According to U.S. accounts, this strike—at least the fourth in recent weeks—killed four people, while September operations across three vessels resulted in up to 17 fatalities. He added that traffickers, having lost sea routes, would be forced inland, prompting an expansion of U.S. efforts onto land.
The actions drew sharp criticism from Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro, who denounced what he called U.S. aggression and vowed to defend national sovereignty in a video message. Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil also reported that Russia’s Sergei Lavrov offered full support and solidarity in a recent call.
A Latin American bloc of 10 member states from the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America – People’s Trade Treaty condemned the strikes as an illegal incursion, warning that U.S. military maneuvers threaten regional peace, civil air safety, and violate international law.
The Pentagon has bolstered its presence in the southern Caribbean with warships and more than 6,500 troops, according to a recent report. Despite these efforts, a 2020 U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration assessment found that Venezuela is not a main source of U.S.-bound cocaine, even as some drugs transit its waters.
As the battle against drug networks shifts from sea to shore, entrepreneurs, policy makers, and young global citizens will be watching: Can these expanded tactics stem the flow of illicit drugs, or simply move the battleground inland?
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Trump says U.S. hit another boat off Venezuela coast on Saturday
cgtn.com
