Tensions in the Caribbean have reached a breaking point after U.S. President Donald Trump officially declared that the United States is now in an “armed conflict” with international drug cartels.
This announcement followed a series of U.S. military strikes targeting alleged narcoterrorist vessels operating in international waters near Venezuela. According to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, four separate operations have been carried out so far leaving 17 people dead.
In a Truth Social post dated September 2, Trump claimed that U.S. forces eliminated members of the “Tren de Aragua” cartel, which he accused of working under the direction of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to smuggle drugs into the United States.
Hegseth later confirmed that the latest strike destroyed a narcotics-laden vessel “just off the coast of Venezuela.” He stated:
“On President Trump’s orders, I directed a lethal strike on a narco-trafficking vessel affiliated with designated terrorist organizations. Four narco-terrorists were killed, and no U.S. personnel were harmed.”
While the administration insists that the operations are part of Trump’s broader war on drugs, the actions have sparked intense debate in Washington. Critics argue that these strikes carried out without Congressional approval may be unconstitutional and violate international law. Human rights groups have also raised concerns over the lack of due process afforded to those targeted.
Meanwhile, a powerful U.S. naval task force has assembled off Venezuela’s coast. The fleet reportedly includes eight warships and more than 5,000 Marines and sailors, fueling speculation that broader military action could be on the horizon.
Trump has defended the buildup, saying that drug cartels’ actions “constitute an armed attack against the United States.” However, neither the White House nor the Pentagon has clarified whether these operations could extend into Venezuelan territory.
Observers fear that the current escalation could mark the most significant U.S. military involvement in Latin America in decades one that blurs the line between counter-narcotics enforcement and open warfare.
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