The U.S. government is preparing to send back two accused drug traffickers who survived recent military operations in the Caribbean to their respective countries, Ecuador and Colombia.
On Saturday, President Trump revealed that these two individuals were among the survivors of a military boat attack that occurred on Thursday, an operation that resulted in the deaths of two other suspected “narco-terrorists.” They will be returned home for “detention and prosecution.”
However, there’s some uncertainty regarding whether Ecuador and Colombia will move forward with prosecutions or simply release the suspects.
The two survivors were captured following Thursday’s strike and later moved to a Navy ship for medical care.
Initially, four people were aboard a semi-submersible vessel. Trump indicated that the craft had been heading toward the U.S. via a recognized drug trafficking route. He noted that it was primarily carrying fentanyl, along with various other illegal substances.
In a written statement, the president expressed pride in the operation, stating, “It was a great honor to sink a very large narcotics submarine that was sailing toward the United States.” He referenced U.S. intelligence confirming the cargo details.
According to Trump, no American service members were hurt in the operation, and he claimed that had the submarine made it to the U.S., it could have led to the deaths of 25,000 Americans.
“Under my administration, we will not allow narco-terrorists to traffic illegal drugs, whether by land or sea,” he stated. “Thank you for your consideration in this matter!”
This military action on Thursday seems to mark a continuation of airstrikes aimed at drug smuggling operations in the Caribbean, being the sixth strike since early September. The prior five attacks reportedly resulted in 27 fatalities among suspected traffickers off the coast of Venezuela.
The U.S. has increased its military activity in the Caribbean, applying more pressure on Nicolas Maduro, whom they deem an “illegitimate” leader.
As part of these efforts, Pentagon officials announced that around 10,000 American troops are now involved in counternarcotics missions in the region.
On Wednesday, Trump seemed to confirm that he had permitted the CIA to engage in operations within Venezuela.
In a more recent event, during a visit from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy at the White House, Trump used strong language, cautioning Maduro against provoking the U.S.
“He doesn’t want anything to do with the United States,” Trump shared with reporters.
On the same day as the military strike, the Pentagon disclosed that Admiral Alvin Holsey, the commander of the Southern Command overseeing military initiatives in Latin America, would retire from the Navy on December 12, just under a year after accepting the position.
