This Monday afternoon, the United States Navy carried out a new operation against Venezuelan drug traffickers in international waters
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President Donald Trump announced on Monday that United States military forces carried out a second attack in less than two weeks against Venezuelan drug traffickers in international waters.
According to Trump, the operation resulted in the deaths of three individuals whom he described as "confirmed male terrorists," and he stated that "large bags of cocaine and fentanyl were scattered throughout the ocean."
The president posted on Truth Social that the drug traffickers were transporting drugs to the United States and described the substances as "deadly weapons that are poisoning Americans." He asserted that these violent cartels pose a threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States.
Trump also shared a video of the attack, in which a small boat can be seen stopped in rough waters that bursts into flames after being hit by a U.S. missile.
In a press conference in the Oval Office, Trump warned that future attacks could also target Mexican cartels that traffic drugs by land. He defended the operation by saying that the evidence was conclusive and that the deceased were clearly identified as drug traffickers.
"We have recorded evidence, we know when they left, what they were carrying, everything," the president explained, adding ironically that now "there are no boats in the ocean," referring to the deterrent effect of the attacks. "If I were a fisherman, I'd be worried. They might think I'm carrying hidden drugs," he added.
Trump emphasized that, although maritime routes appear to have decreased, drugs are still entering by land, and he warned that his administration will act with the same force: "We're going to stop them the same way we stopped the boats."
Trump señaló que también se realizarán operaciones para frenar el ingreso de drogas desde México por vía terrestre
During his statements, Trump also criticized the official figures on overdose deaths, arguing that the real number is higher. According to preliminary CDC data, about 78,000 people died from overdoses in the United States in the 12 months ending in March, a decrease from approximately 104,000 the previous year. Trump, however, claimed that drugs killed 300,000 Americans in 2024.
No U.S. military personnel were injured during this second operation. The first attack, which occurred on September 2, killed 11 suspected traffickers and was directed against members of Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan criminal organization that the Trump administration has designated as a foreign terrorist group linked to the regime of Nicolás Maduro.
In recent weeks, the White House has increased pressure on Venezuela, offering a $50 million reward for the capture of Maduro. In addition, at least eight U.S. Navy warships have been deployed in the Caribbean Sea as part of Trump's effort to curb drug trafficking.
El dictador Nicolás Maduro ha sido asociado a peligrosas bandas criminales como el Tren de Aragua y el Cártel de los Soles
Venezuela, meanwhile, has denied that the people attacked were involved in drug smuggling. Maduro's government also reported that members of the U.S. military boarded a Venezuelan tuna boat and inspected it for hours.
The situation in the region has intensified with the arrival of F-35 fighter jets in Puerto Rico and Trump's recent warning that he will shoot down Venezuelan military aircraft if they interfere with U.S. operations. This occurred after two Venezuelan F-16s flew over a U.S. destroyer in a maneuver the Pentagon described as "highly provocative."
Margarito "Jay" Flores Jr., former leader of the Sinaloa cartel, told Fox News that Trump's strategy is sending a clear message to criminal organizations: "They're going after everyone. It doesn't matter if you're a president or a drug trafficker." According to Flores, many traffickers are "scared" by the government's new aggressive approach.
Un grupo de aviones F-35 de los Estados Unidos ha sido desplegado en Puerto Rico en el caso de que las fuerzas venezolanas interrumpan las operaciones
