The US military has struck a drug trafficking vessel in international waters in the eastern Pacific Ocean.
This was reported by the US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM).
The operation took place on December 29 at the direction of the US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, and was carried out by Joint Task Force Southern Spear. According to intelligence, the vessel was being used by members of cartels to smuggle drugs.
The ship was traveling along a known drug trafficking transit route, and during the operation, the US military eliminated two members of the drug cartels. There were no casualties among US servicemen.
SOUTHCOM added that the US is continuing its campaign to combat drug trafficking. The US military has already announced the elimination of at least a hundred people associated with the drug trade.
The worsening of relations between the US and Venezuela
Relations between Venezuela and the United States have deteriorated significantly in recent months. The US military has repeatedly attacked boats off the coast of Venezuela that were allegedly transporting drugs. The administration explains such steps by combating the fentanyl epidemic in the United States — deaths related to this drug have increased significantly in recent years.
In total, the Americans attacked 25 ships in the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. At least 95 people died in these attacks.
In November, the US reported the launch of a military operation off Venezuela called Southern Spear, aimed at “fighting narco-terrorists” in South America. According to CNN, more than a dozen US warships and nearly 15,000 troops have been deployed to the region.
Most Americans oppose intervention. A CBS News poll found that 70% of respondents do not support US military action in Venezuela. Despite this, on November 22, the United States carried out its largest show of force near Venezuelaʼs borders: F/A-18E fighter jets, B-52s, and a reconnaissance aircraft appeared near its coast.
The Trump administration also designated the Venezuelan president and his government as members of a foreign terrorist organization on November 24. This gives the US the ability to impose additional sanctions on the assets and logistics of his political regime.
Maduro has been linked to a sprawling drug trafficking network within the Venezuelan Armed Forces, the Cartel de los Soles, which smuggles drugs to the United States and Europe.
CNN, citing sources, reported on November 30 that Maduro had hinted that he was ready to step down eventually, but had agreed to do so no sooner than 18 months later. The White House insisted on his immediate removal.
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