The United States military conducted its 20th operation targeting a vessel suspected of carrying drugs in the Caribbean Sea, resulting in the deaths of four individuals, as announced by the U.S. military on Friday. This action is part of the Trump administration’s intensified efforts in South American waters.
The most recent strike took place on Monday, as reported in a social media post by U.S. Southern Command, responsible for military activities in the Caribbean and Latin America. The total casualties from these operations, which commenced in September, now stand at 80, with the Mexican Navy halting its search for a survivor following a strike in late October after four days.
A video shared by Southern Command on social media depicted a boat swiftly moving across the water before being engulfed in flames. The command confirmed that the vessel was engaged in illegal drug trafficking, navigating a known route for narcotics smuggling.
This recent announcement by Southern Command deviates from the usual practice of U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who typically discloses such attacks on social media. However, Hegseth promptly reposted the statement from Southern Command.
Concurrently, the Trump administration is reinforcing the U.S. military presence in the region by deploying the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier. This advanced warship is anticipated to arrive shortly after its journey from the Mediterranean Sea. Hegseth officially designated the mission as Operation Southern Spear on Thursday, underscoring the growing importance and sustainability of the military’s involvement in the area. Upon the carrier’s arrival, the operation will involve approximately a dozen U.S. navy vessels along with around 12,000 sailors and marines.
The administration asserts that the bolstering of warships aims to combat the influx of drugs into the U.S. Nonetheless, no evidence has been provided to substantiate the claim that those killed in these operations were “narcoterrorists.”
The strikes have predominantly targeted vessels in the Caribbean Sea, with some occurring in the eastern Pacific Ocean, a key route for cocaine trafficking from major producers worldwide.
The deployment of the aircraft carrier has raised speculation among observers that it serves as a significant tool of intimidation against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who faces accusations of narcoterrorism in the U.S. Opinions vary on whether U.S. warplanes might be used to strike land targets to pressure Maduro into resigning.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has reiterated the U.S. government’s refusal to recognize Maduro, alleging electoral fraud in the previous year’s election. The government has been labeled a drug trafficking facilitator that collaborates openly with drug traffickers bound for the U.S.
Maduro has dismissed the U.S.’s allegations, branding them as a fabrication of a war against him. Venezuela has announced a substantial mobilization of both troops and civilians to defend against potential U.S. assaults.
President Trump has justified the operations, claiming the United States is engaged in a conflict with drug cartels and alleging that the vessels are operated by foreign terrorist groups flooding American cities with drugs.
Amid calls from lawmakers, including Republicans, for more transparency regarding the targets and legal justifications for the strikes, Rubio and Hegseth briefed a bipartisan group of national security overseers last week. Subsequently, Senate Republicans rejected a proposal to limit Trump’s authority to launch an attack on Venezuela without congressional consent.