U.S. Military Conducts Deadly Strike on Suspected Tren de Aragua Drug Boat in Caribbean
U.S. Military Conducts Deadly Strike on Suspected Tren de Aragua Drug Boat in Caribbean
The U.S. military this week confirmed a deadly strike in the Caribbean, destroying a boat allegedly carrying drugs from Venezuela. The White House asserted that all 11 individuals aboard the vessel were members of the notorious Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, speaking on Wednesday, vowed that U.S. assets would remain positioned in the Caribbean, targeting any “designated narco terrorist” involved in trafficking. Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed this stance, defending the strike as a necessary measure to eliminate “imminent threats” to the United States.
The strike signals a significant escalation in the Trump administration’s strategy against drug trafficking in the Western Hemisphere, sending a combative message to both regional governments and criminal organizations. However, U.S. officials have yet to disclose how they definitively identified the individuals on the boat as Tren de Aragua members, prompting questions from experts.
This latest action comes as the administration intensifies its focus on Tren de Aragua, a gang that originated in a Venezuelan prison and has expanded its operations across Latin America, often preying on Venezuelan migrants. While the gang is known for contract killings, extortion, and human smuggling, its direct involvement in large-scale international cocaine trafficking has been disputed by organizations like InSight Crime.
Further complicating the administration’s anti-gang efforts, a U.S. appeals court panel ruled this week that President Trump cannot utilize an 18th-century wartime law, the Alien Enemies Act, to fast-track deportations of individuals accused of Tren de Aragua affiliation. The Supreme Court is expected to make a final ruling on the matter.
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