The United States military carried out another strike against suspected drug traffickers in the Pacific Ocean on Saturday, underscoring the Trump administration’s aggressive approach to curbing the flow of illicit narcotics into the country.
The action, announced Sunday by U.S. Southern Command, marks at least the 21st such strike in international waters around South America during the administration’s intensified campaign.
“On Nov. 15, at the direction of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization,” the command said in a post on X, shared by Hegseth. “Intelligence confirmed that the vessel was involved in illicit narcotics smuggling, transiting along a known narco-trafficking route, and carrying narcotics. Three male narco-terrorists aboard the vessel were killed. The vessel was trafficking narcotics in the Eastern Pacific and was struck in international waters.”
The strike comes amid heightened tensions with Venezuela, where the U.S. maintains a significant military presence in response to the regime of President Nicolás Maduro. The administration has repeatedly characterized Maduro as illegitimate and as a key actor in facilitating narcotics trafficking to the United States. Trump, speaking Sunday evening, suggested that diplomatic talks with Venezuela may be on the horizon.
In a rally in Caracas on Thursday, Maduro urged the American people to reject war with Venezuela, declaring, “Yes peace, yes peace” and calling for unity “for the peace of (the Americas). No more endless wars. No more unjust wars. No more Libya. No more Afghanistan.” Despite his conciliatory words, Maduro has mobilized Venezuela’s military and volunteer forces and appears to have reinforced air-defense systems, including Russian-made units, signaling that the country remains on high alert.
The Trump administration, meanwhile, has moved to further constrain Maduro’s influence through legal and diplomatic channels. On Sunday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the Cartel de los Soles, a group headed by Maduro, would be designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. “Headed by the illegitimate Nicolás Maduro, the group has corrupted the institutions of government in Venezuela and is responsible for terrorist violence conducted by and with other designated FTOs as well as for trafficking drugs into the United States and Europe,” Rubio said in a post on X.
The military strikes and diplomatic signaling reflect a two-pronged approach: aggressive enforcement against narco-terrorism and the possibility of negotiations aimed at reducing regional tension. Analysts note that Trump’s willingness to engage Maduro diplomatically does not signal a retreat from security objectives, but rather a calculated effort to combine pressure with dialogue.
The Southern Spear operation, overseen by Hegseth, has become central to the administration’s counter-narcotics campaign in the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility, covering more than 30 nations in Central and South America and the Caribbean. The recent strike demonstrates the administration’s readiness to act decisively against narco-terrorists while also exploring potential diplomatic openings to stabilize the region.
As the U.S. continues its efforts, officials emphasize that both military and diplomatic measures are designed to protect American interests and prevent the flow of drugs into the country, reflecting a broad strategy of vigilance and enforcement under the Trump administration.
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