Washington, D.C. – USA – In a dramatic escalation of its anti-narcotics campaign, the U.S. military carried out a strike in the southern Caribbean against a vessel alleged to be operated by the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. President Donald Trump announced the operation, stating that 11 individuals were killed in what he described as an action against “narcoterrorists.”
Trump shared footage of the speedboat exploding, asserting that it was transporting a large quantity of drugs bound for the United States. He labelled the strike a warning to others engaged in drug trafficking, and reaffirmed that no U.S. forces were harmed.
The strike follows the Trump administration’s decision to deploy multiple warships and military assets to the region, representing one of the most aggressive U.S. actions against drug networks to date. Venezuelan officials dismissed the claim of a “drug boat,” alleging the video may have been manipulated or fabricated.
Human rights advocates and analysts criticised the strike, noting that destroying the vessel instead of capturing it and apprehending suspects breaks with traditional law enforcement protocols. They argued that suspicion alone should not justify lethal force.
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