Trump Announces Plans to Interdict Venezuelan Drug Traffickers
On Thursday, President Trump shared that the U.S. will soon start intercepting suspected Venezuelan drug traffickers “by land.” Speaking to military personnel during a Thanksgiving address, he commended the efforts of the U.S. Air Force’s 7th Bomb Wing at Dyess Air Force Base in Texas for their work against the Venezuelan drug operations.
Trump remarked, “In recent weeks, you’ve been working to stop Venezuelan drug traffickers, and there are many of them.” He pointed out a shift in how drugs are being smuggled, suggesting that fewer traffickers are arriving by sea, a change that’s likely noticeable.
The president emphasized the grave impact of drug trafficking, noting that “poison” brought into the U.S. claims “hundreds of thousands of lives each year.” He indicated that approximately 85% of such smuggling attempts are intercepted at sea.
However, traffickers are adapting. “They don’t want to deliver by sea anymore, so they’re going to start delivering by land very soon,” Trump noted. He stressed the warning given to these traffickers: “Stop sending poison into our country.”
Earlier this month, Trump mentioned he hadn’t excluded the possibility of deploying U.S. ground troops to Venezuela, a move seen as part of a broader strategy against criminal networks linked to the country’s ruling elite and drug trade.
When questioned about sending troops to Venezuela on November 17, Trump replied, “No, I wouldn’t rule it out. I wouldn’t rule anything out.”
Since September, the U.S. military has been expanding its operations, with numerous attacks targeting vessels tied to criminal organizations, specifically those associated with Venezuela and Colombia. In recent months, there have been at least 21 attacks on such ships. This ongoing escalation in the region has raised various concerns about the responses to drug trafficking and broader geopolitical implications.
As the situation develops, the White House has yet to respond to requests for further comments.
