Tensions in the Caribbean rose sharply on Tuesday, September 2, after the United States military struck a Venezuelan vessel, killing 11 suspected members of the Tren de Aragua gang.
The attack, announced by President Donald Trump, is the first major operation since his administration deployed warships to the southern Caribbean earlier this year.
Speaking at the White House, Trump described the incident as a decisive blow against international drug trafficking.
“We just, over the last few minutes, literally shot out a boat, a drug-carrying boat, a lot of drugs in that boat,” he told reporters.
He later shared drone footage on his Truth Social platform showing a speedboat exploding and bursting into flames on the open sea.
Trump claimed that the strike eliminated 11 members of Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan gang Washington labeled a terrorist group in February.
He accused the group of working with President Nicolás Maduro’s government, an allegation Caracas has consistently denied.
“No US forces were harmed in this strike,” Trump said, emphasizing that the mission was carried out with precision.
Venezuelan officials quickly pushed back on the US narrative. Communications Minister Freddy Ñáñez questioned whether the footage was authentic, even suggesting it could have been artificially generated.
However, Reuters conducted an initial review using manipulation detection tools and found no evidence of tampering, though analysts said further verification was needed.
The Pentagon has not provided details about the quantity or type of narcotics on board the vessel or the exact method used in the strike.
Security analysts described the decision to destroy the boat rather than seize it and detain its crew as unusual.
Adam Isacson, Director for Defense Oversight at the Washington Office on Latin America, noted on X: “‘Being suspected of carrying drugs’ doesn’t carry a death sentence.”
The strike comes amid a significant US military buildup in the region.
Washington has deployed seven warships, including the USS San Antonio, USS Iwo Jima, and USS Fort Lauderdale, as well as a nuclear-powered attack submarine.
The force, which includes more than 4,500 sailors and Marines, has also increased surveillance operations with P-8 spy planes over international waters.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the drugs on board the vessel were likely headed for Trinidad or another Caribbean nation.
He added that the administration was determined to “go on offense against drug cartels and drug trafficking in the United States.”
The operation has further strained relations between Washington and Caracas. Venezuelan officials warned that the US focus on Tren de Aragua could serve as a pretext for broader actions against the Maduro government.
Just last month, Washington doubled its reward for information leading to Maduro’s arrest to $50 million, accusing him of deep ties to organized crime.
Caracas, however, insists Tren de Aragua was dismantled following a 2023 prison raid.
For now, the strike underscores the growing volatility in the Caribbean, where US military expansion and political tensions with Venezuela appear set to escalate in the coming months.
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