The Trump administration is ramping up its fight against Latin American drug cartels after a U.S. strike on a Venezuelan boat in the Caribbean left 11 people dead, raising sharp questions about legality and intent.
The incident, which took place Tuesday, was the first major strike since Trump sent warships to the southern Caribbean earlier this summer. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called it part of a wider campaign against “narco-terrorists,” warning that more operations are on the way. “This mission won’t stop here,” he said.
Trump claimed the vessel was carrying large amounts of drugs and that the crew belonged to Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan gang blacklisted by Washington earlier this year. The Pentagon has not said whether the boat was hit by a drone, torpedo, or another weapon.
Criticism over legality
International law experts were quick to question the strike. Mary Ellen O’Connell of Notre Dame argued the U.S. had no authority to carry out targeted killings at sea. Venezuela’s president Nicolás Maduro accused Washington of staging a pretext for regime change and even claimed the video of the explosion shared by Trump was fake — a claim Reuters said had no evidence.
Mixed response in Venezuela
Reactions inside Venezuela were split. Maduro condemned the U.S. strike, while opposition leader María Corina Machado praised it, describing Maduro as the head of a “narco-terrorist regime.” Others, including opposition figure Henrique Capriles, expressed doubts about U.S. claims, asking how officials confirmed the identities of those killed.
Military buildup fuels tensions
The U.S. has already deployed seven warships, a nuclear-powered submarine, and thousands of troops to the Caribbean. Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggested further strikes are likely, saying Washington is “at war with narco-terrorist organizations.”
With Trump doubling the bounty on Maduro to $50 million, analysts warn the situation could spiral, fueling regional instability. For now, the administration’s message is clear: the operations won’t stop with just one strike.
