President Donald Trump announced that U.S. military forces have targeted and destroyed a vessel allegedly linked to drug trafficking from Venezuela while it was in international waters. He claimed that three individuals were killed in this operation aimed at combating “violent drug trafficking cartels.” However, Trump did not provide evidence to substantiate that the boat was carrying illegal drugs.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro responded by asserting that his government would defend itself against what he described as U.S. aggression, labeling U.S. lawmakers, particularly Marco Rubio, as inciting violence. Following the deployment of U.S. warships to the southern Caribbean for counter-narcotics operations, a previous strike had resulted in the death of 11 people aboard another vessel.
In a social media post, Trump described the military action as a “kinetic strike” against identified drug trafficking groups, which he claimed threatened U.S. national security. The post included a video depicting the explosion of a vessel. Rubio defended the initial strike, expressing confidence that the vessel targeted was involved in drug trafficking and emphasized the necessity of such military actions.
Maduro criticized the state of U.S.-Venezuela relations, characterizing them as severely damaged and insisted on his country’s right to self-defense. Legal experts have raised concerns about the legality of the U.S. military actions, suggesting that they may violate international law.
Tensions increased when Venezuela accused U.S. forces of seizing one of its vessels, which the Venezuelan foreign ministry described as a harmless fishing boat. The U.S. and several other countries do not recognize Maduro’s government, having alleged that the recent election was marred by irregularities favoring him over rival Edmundo González. Meanwhile, the U.S. has accused Maduro of leading a drug cartel and is offering rewards for information on his capture, allegations Maduro has consistently denied. He has mobilized civilians into a militia, claiming it protects against U.S. intervention.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2jel4gyezo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss