The Pentagon stated, “We strongly advise Venezuela against making any further attempts to obstruct, deter, or interfere with counter-narcotics and counter-terrorism operations conducted by the U.S. military,” according to American media sources.
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump accuses Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro of leading a drug cartel, at a time when Washington has deployed warships in the southern Caribbean amid escalating tensions between the two countries.
Trump announced last Tuesday that U.S. forces attacked a drug-laden boat in the Caribbean Sea that was headed to the United States, resulting in the death of 11 drug traffickers.
According to American media, this attack marks a significant escalation by the United States, which has relied for decades on traditional security operations to combat drug trafficking rather than using lethal force.
Additionally, Washington recently doubled the announced reward for capturing Maduro to $50 million, as part of its ongoing pressure on his government, which it accuses of running a cross-border smuggling network.
