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The Trump administration’s campaign of blowing up alleged
drug-trafficking vessels in Latin American waters has persisted
since early September and killed at least 188 people in total.
Other strikes have taken place in the eastern Pacific Ocean.
Despite the Iran war, the series of strikes have ramped up again
in recent weeks, showing that the administration’s aggressive
measures to stop what it calls “narcoterrorism” in the Western
Hemisphere are not letting up. The military has not provided
evidence that any of the vessels were carrying drugs.
The attacks began as the U.S. built up its largest military
presence in the region in generations and came months ahead of
the raid in January that captured then-Venezuelan President
Nicolás Maduro. He was brought to New York to face drug
trafficking charges and has pleaded not guilty.
In the latest attack Monday, U.S. Southern Command repeated
previous statements by saying it had targeted the alleged drug
traffickers along known smuggling routes. It posted a video on X
showing a boat moving along the water before a massive explosion
engulfs the vessel in flames.
President Donald Trump has said the U.S. is in “armed conflict”
with cartels in Latin America and has justified the attacks as a
necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs into the United
States and fatal overdoses claiming American lives. But his
administration has offered little evidence to support its claims
of killing “narcoterrorists.”
Critics, meanwhile, have questioned the overall legality of the
boat strikes.
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