By: Staff Writer
September 23, 2025
The US military has struck a third boat suspected of trafficking narcotics from Venezuela to the US.
US President Donald Trump has said US forces carried out a “lethal kinetic strike” on a vessel which he said was trafficking drugs, and the attack killed three “male narcoterrorists” on board.
Trump said he ordered the attack on the boat, which was in the US Southern Command’s area of responsibility, after US intelligence confirmed it was trafficking drugs. It was the third such strike on alleged drug boats in recent weeks.
Trump’s statement on Truth Social on Friday said the strike happened in international waters. The US Southern Command’s area of responsibility covers most of South America and the Caribbean.
Two previous strikes have killed a total of 14 people on boats allegedly from Venezuela.
The strikes have been hailed by Trinidadian Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar as necessary to curb the drug trafficking out of Venezuela. Her tone has been supportive of US air strikes on Venezuelan vessels and hs engaged in an ongoing war of words with the Nicolas Maduro regime through her being supportive of the US military using Caribbean waters to track down suspected Venezuelan narcoterrorists.
Venezuela, in response, has ramped up its criticism of Trinidad and Tobago, by launching Operation Cumanagoto 200.
“There’s a lot of smuggling of fuel, weapons, ammunition, and human trafficking along the axis between Macuro, La Punta, Paria Promontory and Trinidad and Tobago,” said Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino López, who has also vowed to “clear out” any terrorist groups or drug trafficking gangs operating illegally in the region.
“This is an order from our commander-in-chief. The strategic commander is already executing it and directing all means and forces to ensure Operation Cumanagoto 200 is carried out in the eastern Caribbean,” he added.
“Sixty units will occupy the territory of the 15 municipalities of that state to scrutinise and to conduct reconnaissance and clear the area. It should be remembered that from Trinidad and Tobago, a lot of fuel smuggling occurs, as well as smuggling of weapons and ammunition, and a lot of human trafficking.
“All of that happens along the axis between Mapuro, the tip of the Paria Peninsula, and Trinidad and Tobago. So, we are going there to clear out any terrorist groups or any drug trafficking organisations that are operating illegally in that territory,” said Padrino.
Port of Spain and Caracas have been engaged in a war of words ever since Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar publicly endorsed the move by President Donald Trump to send military warships into the Caribbean Sea with the intent of preventing drug dealers from illegally carrying out their trade.