The President of the United States, Donald Trump, announced this Tuesday (14) a new military attack against a vessel suspected of involvement in drug trafficking off the coast of Venezuela. According to the Republican, six men who were on board were killed in the operation, conducted by the American Armed Forces. No United States military personnel were injured.
In a post on the social network Truth Social, Trump stated that the action was authorized “under his permanent authorities as Commander in Chief” and carried out by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. The president classified the target as a vessel “affiliated with a Designated Terrorist Organization”, which carried out drug trafficking activities in the area of responsibility of the US Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM), close to the Venezuelan coast.
According to the statement released by the agent, American intelligence confirmed that the vessel “trafficked narcotics, was associated with illicit narco-terrorism networks and was transiting a route known to terrorist organizations.” The attack, according to Trump, was carried out in international waters. “Six male narco-terrorists on board were killed. No US forces were injured,” he declared.
The message published on Truth Social was accompanied by a black and white video showing the moment of the attack. In the images, it is possible to see the boat stopped on the high seas before being completely destroyed by the impact of a missile. The material was described by the American press as similar to records of previous operations.
This is the fifth lethal attack carried out by the United States in the Caribbean since the start of the Trump administration’s new offensive against drug trafficking groups. According to data released by the White House, 27 people have already been killed in these operations. The American government has treated alleged drug traffickers as “illegal combatants”, justifying the use of lethal force as compatible with the laws of war — although it has not yet presented a detailed legal analysis on the issue.
Trump’s policies have generated criticism both inside and outside the country. Republican and Democratic parliamentarians are asking for explanations about the legal basis of the actions, which some legal experts consider a violation of international law. The president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, even asked the UN to investigate the republican for ordering attacks in the Caribbean, claiming that among the victims are poor young Latin Americans “without weapons to defend themselves”.
The attack comes amid escalating tensions between Washington and Caracas. Since the rupture of diplomatic relations in 2019, during Trump’s first term, the United States has intensified pressure on the government of Nicolás Maduro, accused by the White House of heading a drug cartel responsible for sending narcotics to American territory.
In recent months, the US has reinforced its military presence in the Caribbean, sending warships and more than 4,000 marines. In July, the White House officially classified the “Cartel de los Soles”, a group linked to Venezuelan authorities, as a global terrorist organization. The Treasury Department even offered a reward of up to US$50 million (around R$271 million) for information leading to Maduro’s arrest.
The offensive is also part of Trump’s strategy of associating the fight against drug trafficking with immigration control. The Republican has argued that cracking down on drug cartels helps curb irregular migration and protect the United States’ southern border. In February, the US government designated Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel and the Venezuelan group Tren de Aragua as global terrorist organizations.
With the new attack, the Trump administration reinforces its tough stance in the Caribbean and signals that it will continue to use military means in actions to combat drug trafficking. “These attacks will continue until the attacks on the American people end,” said Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, also in a post on social media.
