U.S. strikes suspected drug vessel in Caribbean after departure from Venezuela : NPR

Tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela are rising. Days after sending U.S. gunboats to South American waters, President Trump mentioned Tuesday that the U.S. Navy struck a vessel within the southern Caribbean carrying what he described as a Venezuelan drug cargo.

Trump advised reporters throughout an Oval Workplace occasion that the operation occurred “over the previous few minutes, (we) actually shot out a a ship, a drug carrying boat, lots of medicine in that boat.”

Moments later Secretary of State Marco Rubio tweeted affirmation, calling it a “deadly strike” on a vessel operated by a “designated narco-terrorist group.”

In a later Reality Social publish concerning the operation, Trump mentioned 11 folks have been killed, calling them “terrorists,” claiming they have been members of Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua gang. He included a video within the publish labeled “unclassified” exhibiting a strike on a small speedboat with 4 outboard motors.

The strike on the vessel comes amid the Trump administration’s more and more confrontational posture towards the Veneuelan regime.  Washington accuses Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro of main a drug cartel and has put a $50 million bounty on his head. Then simply over every week in the past, the U.S. deployed warships—together with the Iwo Jima Amphibious Prepared Group—to waters off Venezuela’s coast in a major present of pressure.

Maduro claims the U.S. navy buildup is an indication that Washington is attempting to overthrow the Venezuelan authorities. In response Maduro has declared “most preparedness” within the nation, saying that 4.5 million militia members are prepared to make sure that “no empire will contact the sacred soil of Venezuela.” State TV community Telesur has been working in depth protection that includes Venezuelans—together with fishermen and bizarre residents—referred to as up for navy service.

Maduro was sworn in for a 3rd six-year time period as Venezuela’s president in January 2025, following an election broadly criticized as fraudulent. Maduro has used Washington’s newest present of pressure to rally each home and worldwide consideration. The Venezuela authorities had not responded to the U.S. strike or President Trump’s claims previous to publication.

Throughout Trump’s first time period, U.S. warships have been additionally despatched to the area, with little impression. Former U.S. Ambassador to Venezuela James Story, who beforehand labored on anti-narcotics points on the State Division, advised NPR the present administration’s coverage towards Venezuela was incoherent. In July, for instance, the U.S. reissued a license permitting U.S. oil firm Chevron to function there.