Spanish
The U.S. President, Donald Trump, reported this Tuesday on the "kinetic attack" on a vessel off the coast of Venezuela, under the claim that it apparently transported illicit drugs.
"This morning, the Secretary of War [Peter Hegseth] ordered a lethal kinetic strike against a vessel affiliated with a Designated Terrorist Organization (DTO) that conducts drug trafficking in the area of responsibility of the U.S. Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM), off the coast of Venezuela," the president wrote on his Truth Social network.
According to their version, the attack took place "in international waters" and resulted in the death of six men, whom they described as "narco-terrorists", based on alleged information provided by "the intelligence" of their country.
Trump accompanied his post with a video in which a small boat is seen being targeted from a distance, which is later hit by a projectile and explodes. The shots do not allow to identify either the number of crew members or the existence or nature of their eventual cargo.
Since last September, U.S. forces have blown up small boats in Caribbean waters near Venezuela, claiming they were 'narco-boats' destined for the North American country.
According to their own data, with the operation of this day, the number of people killed at sea would rise to 27. The practice has been criticized by leaders such as Gustavo Petro and Lula da Silva, as well as by the United Nations, considering that these would be summary executions, contrary to what international law enshrines.
U.S. Aggression in the Caribbean
Currently, Washington is carrying out military actions and bombings in waters near Venezuelan territory with the argument —without basis or evidence— of combating drug cartels. Caracas has called these actions an "aggression" and has questioned the true reason for the operations. Furthermore, last August, the U.S. deployed a large military contingent in the area.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro claims his country is the victim of a "multiform war" orchestrated from the U.S. The Venezuelan State, he has reiterated, is being subjected to an "armed aggression to impose a regime change" and a "puppet" government, in order to "steal its oil, gas, gold and all natural resources".
Many world and regional leaders have also considered that there is no evidence to support the US accusation against the president.
