United States President Donald Trump officially stated that the country is in an “non -international armed conflict” against drug cartels. The measure, revealed on Thursday (2), was detailed in a confidential document sent by the White House to Congress. The text was obtained by The New York Times and the Associated Press news agency.
The document classifies traffickers as “illegal combatants” and underlies the military actions already carried out in the Caribbean. Last month, the United States bombarded vessels suspected of transporting drugs in the region, resulting in the deaths of about 20 people. The Trump government argues that attacks are necessary to prevent narcotics from entering the country.
According to the Associated Press, the statement was officially communicated to Congress on Wednesday (1st). The opposition had been charging Trump to request legislative authorization before employing the Armed Forces in operations outside the US territory. The document was sent as an attempt to support the actions already taken.
Nevertheless, parliamentarians from both parties criticized the measure and raised doubts about the role of Congress to authorize this type of military operation. Some senators argued that the government would be trying to establish a new legal framework without due legislative debate, which could expand presidential powers in external actions.
The White House had previously argued that the attacks fit into “self -defense.” The argument was that war laws allowed to kill, instead of arresting people aboard the vessels, as they were allegedly involved with terrorist organizations. The government also stressed that drug trafficking causes the death of about 100,000 Americans by overdose each year.
The Pentagon, however, failed to present to Congress a detailed list of organizations considered terrorist, which generated dissatisfaction among some parliamentarians. The absence of this clear definition can make it difficult for legal backing to military actions, increasing pressure on the government.
One of the most recent military attacks took place on September 2, when a speedboat was hit by US forces in the southern Caribbean. The Trump government stated that the vessel was operated by the Aragua Tren faction, classified as a foreign terrorist organization by the United States earlier this year. The operation resulted in the death of 11 people.
