US Military Strikes Venezuelan Drug Ship
President Donald Trump has announced that the US military carried out a “second campaign attack” on a Venezuelan drug ship transporting “illicit drugs.”
In a post, Trump mentioned that this operation resulted in the deaths of three “male terrorists,” and importantly, “the US military was not harmed” during the action. He stated that “narcotelists from Venezuela” were operating in “international waters” with illegal substances.
“This morning, following my directive, the US military executed its second strike against highly violent drug trafficking cartels and narcotelists in the Southcom region,” Trump noted. He emphasized that these narcoterrorists were in international waters moving illegal drugs, which he called “a deadly weapon that affects Americans.”
Trump warned that these drug cartels pose a significant threat to US national security and interests, asserting, “The strike took out three male terrorists in action. We were ready. If you’re involved in transporting drugs that can harm Americans, we’ll pursue you!” He remarked on the devastating impact these illegal operations have had on American communities over the years, resulting in numerous casualties.
Earlier in September, Trump had reported that the military “shot” a boat involved in drug movements from Venezuela, leading to the deaths of 11 members of the Tren de Aragua cartel as they headed toward the US.
Christian K. Calzo from Breitbart News noted that Venezuelan Communications Minister Freddie Injez claimed that footage of the drug-laden ship’s strike was “fake,” although he did not provide evidence to support his assertion.
Hours after the video surfaced, Venezuelan Communications Minister Hanes, who serves under socialist leader Nicolas Maduro, dismissed the footage on various social media channels as “fake.” He also suggested that the “fake” video was linked to accusations made by Maduro against Secretary of State Marco Rubio earlier that week.
The recent strikes on Venezuelan drug trafficking vessels followed the US deployment of “three Ejis guided missile destroyers near Venezuelan waters” in August, part of the Trump administration’s broader strategy to counter threats from Latin American drug cartels.
