The United States military has destroyed a Venezuelan vessel in international waters, leaving three people dead and reigniting tensions between Washington and Caracas.
President Donald Trump described the boat as part of “violent drug trafficking cartels” and said the strike was necessary to protect American national security. He claimed the vessel was carrying large quantities of cocaine and fentanyl, though no independent evidence has yet been presented.
The attack comes only days after an earlier strike sank another boat, killing eleven people on board. That operation drew sharp criticism from legal experts, who questioned whether carrying out lethal action in international waters violated maritime and human rights laws.
In Venezuela, President Nicolás Maduro condemned the strikes as acts of aggression. He vowed that his country would defend itself fully, accusing the US of trying to provoke a larger conflict aimed at removing him from power. Venezuelan officials said the US had even seized a small fishing vessel for several hours, calling it an “illegal and hostile” action.
Relations between the two nations have deteriorated further since the disputed 2024 Venezuelan election, which Washington refused to recognize. The US has accused Maduro of overseeing a powerful drug cartel and placed a multi-million-dollar bounty on his capture, allegations he denies.
The latest escalation has heightened fears of a broader confrontation in the Caribbean. While the US insists its operations are targeted at narcotics trafficking, critics argue the strikes risk igniting a conflict with far-reaching consequences.