US forces destroyed a speedboat allegedly carrying drugs from Venezuela, killing 11 gang members.
Trump accused Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro of controlling the cartel “Tren de Aragua.”
Venezuela warns of “armed struggle,” as Washington expands naval presence in Latin America
President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that US forces carried out a “kinetic strike” against a boat allegedly smuggling drugs from Venezuela, killing 11 suspected members of the Venezuelan criminal group Tren de Aragua.
Trump released a video of the incident on Truth Social, showing the open-topped speedboat before it erupted in flames. He called the slain individuals “narcoterrorists” and accused them of operating under the command of Venezuela’s leftist leader, Nicolás Maduro.
The strike marks a sharp escalation in US-Venezuela tensions. According to BBC, Washington has deployed eight warships across the Caribbean and the Pacific as part of counter-narcotics operations, while Caracas has accused the US of preparing for regime change.
According to Washington Post, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio backed Trump, vowing to use the “full might” of America to dismantle drug cartels. Venezuela, meanwhile, has petitioned the United Nations to demand an end to US military deployments in the region.
Maduro, whose 2024 re-election remains disputed internationally, declared a state of “maximum readiness,” warning that Venezuela was prepared for “a period of armed struggle” to defend its sovereignty.
