The US military killed 11 drug traffickers from Venezuela during a “precision strike” in the Caribbean Sea, US President Donald Trump said amid growing tensions between Washington and Caracas.
Trump repeated the statement during a White House appearance on Tuesday afternoon, telling reporters that the US “just, in the last few minutes, literally blew up a drug ship.”
“And that’s not all. A lot of drugs are coming into our country,” the US president added.
Trump later used his Truth Social social media platform to share additional details about the operation, which he said took place on Tuesday morning.
“The strike was carried out while the terrorists were at sea in international waters, transporting illegal drugs to the United States,” Trump wrote. “As a result of the strike, 11 terrorists were killed in combat. No US military personnel were harmed in the strike… Please let this serve as a warning to anyone who even thinks about bringing drugs into the United States of America. BEWARE!”
This development will heighten fears of a possible military clash between Venezuelan and American troops after the US sent warships and marines to the Caribbean last month in what Trump’s allies called an attempt to remove Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro from power.
Officially, Trump’s naval build-up is part of US efforts to combat Latin American drug traffickers, including a Venezuelan group called Cartel de los Soles (Cartel of the Suns), which Trump officials accuse Maduro of leading.
In August, the US announced a $50 million reward for the capture of President Maduro — twice what was once offered for Osama bin Laden. In July, Trump signed a secret directive authorising the use of military force against Latin American cartels considered to be terrorist organisations, including the Venezuelan group.
