Canada’s Department of National Defence has affirmed its commitment to the ongoing collaboration with the U.S. Coast Guard to intercept drug traffickers in the Caribbean, despite recent deadly U.S. airstrikes in the region. Operation Caribbe, which has been active since 2006, involves joint efforts between the Royal Canadian Navy, Royal Canadian Air Force, and the U.S. Coast Guard to identify and halt suspected drug-carrying vessels in the Caribbean, transferring any apprehended individuals to the U.S. for legal action.
In contrast, the U.S. Air Force has adopted a different strategy, conducting airstrikes on four suspected drug boats resulting in the deaths of 21 individuals. Canadian authorities have clarified that these actions are unrelated to the activities conducted by Canadian military or intelligence personnel in the area.
Operation Caribbe forms part of Canada’s contribution to the broader multinational initiative known as Campaign Martillo, which includes participation from 14 nations across the Americas and Europe. Tim Addison, the director of naval affairs for the Naval Association of Canada (NAC), expressed concerns about the recent strikes, questioning their legality and urging a reevaluation of Canada’s involvement in Operation Caribbe if it veers towards potential illegality.
The NAC, representing retired and active naval personnel advocating for a robust navy, typically refrains from commenting on ongoing operations but views this issue as significant due to its implications for the laws of armed conflict and rules of engagement.
Eric Ouellet, a defense studies professor at Canadian Forces College and the Royal Military College of Canada, concurs that the strikes have placed Canada in a delicate position. He emphasizes the importance of Canada maintaining distance from Venezuela to mitigate risks of inadvertently contributing intelligence to potentially illegal operations.
Ouellet also highlights that Canadian assets are equipped to address various security challenges in the region, such as arms trafficking near Haiti. He believes that discontinuing Operation Caribbe prematurely would not be advantageous for both Canada and the United States, suggesting alternative strategies to navigate the complexities of the situation.
The U.S. administration, led by President Trump and Secretaries Rubio and Hegseth, asserts that the airstrikes targeted designated terrorist organizations involved in drug trafficking, particularly mentioning groups like the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. The U.S. has accused Venezuela, specifically President Nicolas Maduro, of facilitating drug flows, escalating tensions between the two nations.
Rear Admiral Mark Fedor of the U.S. Coast Guard, responsible for overseeing the operation, explained that the detained individuals are typically low-level operatives affiliated with drug cartels. Beyond securing convictions, the operation aims to extract valuable insights from suspects regarding the inner workings of these criminal networks.
Since its inception in 2006, Operation Caribbe has successfully seized 123 metric tonnes of cocaine, underlining the ongoing efforts to combat drug trafficking in the region.
