The United States attacked a vessel from Venezuela on Tuesday, claiming it was loaded with "drugs" and operated by one of the "organizations designated as narcoterrorists." This was announced almost in passing by President Donald Trump in a press conference at the White House, while addressing very different issues. An action, in international waters and "precision," according to Washington, which represents an unprecedented escalation in decades, after deploying numerous military vessels to the area, pressuring the Government of Nicolás Maduro.
According to the president, 11 "terrorists" would have lost their lives, while no US soldier would have been injured. "There is a large amount of drugs coming into our country for a long time, and these come from Venezuela, very frequently. Many things are coming out of Venezuela. So we have eliminated them, you will see it after this meeting ends," said the president in an almost cryptic manner, without specifying at that time that a direct action by his soldiers had taken place in the area. "It happened a few moments ago, and our great general, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, gave us a brief briefing, and you will see," Trump said.
Minutes later, Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed what had happened. "As the president just announced a few moments ago, today the US military carried out a lethal attack in the southern Caribbean against a drug-laden ship that had departed from Venezuela and was being operated by an organization designated as a narcoterrorist," he wrote on his social media.
Later, in a message on Truth Social, Trump stated that, following his orders, "the US Military Forces carried out a kinetic attack against narcoterrorists of the Aragua Train (TDA), positively identified, in the area of responsibility of the Southern Command. The TDA is a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization, operating under the control of Nicolás Maduro, responsible for mass murders, drug trafficking, sex trafficking, and acts of violence and terrorism in the United States and the Western Hemisphere. The attack occurred while the terrorists were in international waters transporting illegal narcotics destined for the United States."
The president stated that "the attack resulted in the death of 11 terrorists in combat. No member of the US Armed Forces was injured in this attack. Please, let this serve as a warning to anyone considering importing drugs into the United States. BEWARE!"
In the images released by the White House, it can be seen how the boat is destroyed by an impact, probably from a drone, which had located the trajectory and waited for it to be in international waters.
The Government of Venezuela has accused the United States of creating with artificial intelligence the video published on Tuesday by the American president. Through Telegram, the Venezuelan Communication Minister, Freddy Ñáñez, said that "it seems" that the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, "continues to lie to his president" and, "after cornering him, now gives him as 'evidence' a video with AI."
"Enough Marco Rubio of encouraging war and trying to stain the hands of President Donald Trump with blood. Venezuela is not a threat," added the minister, who shared the video published by the American president on his Telegram channel.
The President of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, responded to the US attack, accusing them of wanting the "natural riches" of the South American nation, including mentioning oil, gas, and gold, and once again rejecting Washington's argument about an operation to combat drug trafficking.
"They come (...) for Venezuelan oil, they want it for free, for gas," said Maduro, who stated that his country also has "the fourth largest gas reserve in the world" and "one of the largest" gold reserves.
In an event broadcast by the state channel Venezolana de Televisión (VTV), the leader of Chavismo reiterated that the US deployed "eight warships" and 1,200 missiles near the coasts of the oil-rich country based on "a story, a tale that no one believes," referring to the fight against drug trafficking, which, according to Washington, "contaminates" the streets of the North American country.
Marco Rubio (Secretary of State), because the one who rules in the White House is Marco Rubio, the Miami mafia, who wants to stain President Donald Trump's hands with blood," said Maduro.
The president, whom Washington does not consider a legitimate president and accuses of "violating US narcotics laws," stated that, in addition to natural resources, the US also seeks "a second wealth that is perhaps more powerful than any other."
"Do you know what wealth it is? The project of Simón Bolívar, the revolutionary project of 21st-century socialism, they come to try to root out the greatest project that our America has had, which is the liberating project of the great Simón Bolívar, of the great Antonio José de Sucre, they want to end the example of what we are doing," he added.
US Military Deployment
The United States has deployed several warships in the southern Caribbean waters, along with over 2,000 marines. According to various reports, a cruiser, the USS Erie, and a fast-attack nuclear-powered submarine, the USS Newport News, will also soon arrive in the region. The number of soldiers could reach 4,000.
Donald Trump has labeled Maduro as "one of the biggest drug traffickers in the world," repeatedly stating that he leads the Venezuelan Cartel of the Suns. Recently, he has raised the reward to $50 million for information leading to the captureof the Venezuelan leader, who in turn has mobilized troops to the borders and declared readiness to fight.
In recent days, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt was clear: "President Trump has been very clear and consistent. He is willing to use all the resources of his power to stop the entry of drugs into our country and bring those responsible to justice." The military deployment is the largest in the region since the invasion of Panama in 1989 and has sparked mixed reactions. Brazil and Colombia have criticized the measure as destabilizing, while Guyana or Trinidad and Tobago support it, pointing out that drug trafficking is an unsustainable threat.
"Drug trafficking is not combated with destroyers or missiles, that's their narrative, it's absurd," responded Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López. "What is happening in the United States is an internal issue, but the electoral issue has driven Marco Rubio crazy, who has lost support in Florida, so he wants to regain it with actions, trying to recover it by threatening us," he added.
"Marco Rubio wants to stain his hands with blood, with South American, Caribbean, and Venezuelan blood," Maduro said on Monday, referring to his response to Trump. "Even if they put 10,000 missiles on our heads, Venezuelans will be respected."