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yesterday

U.S. Confirms Lethal Strike on Vessel Departing Venezuela in Southern Caribbean

The action marks an escalation from patrols to combat in a mission the U.S. casts as counternarcotics.

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Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro speaks during an interview with The Associated Press at Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, Feb. 14, 2019. Maduro is inviting a U.S. special envoy to come to Venezuela after revealing during the interview that his foreign minister recently held secret meetings with the U.S. official in New York. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

Overview

  • President Donald Trump said U.S. forces destroyed a drug-laden boat that had left Venezuela, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio described it as a lethal strike on a vessel operated by a designated narco‑terrorist group.
  • The U.S. maritime force remains in international waters, with reports citing three Arleigh Burke destroyers, a guided‑missile cruiser, an attack submarine, amphibious ships, P‑8 patrol aircraft, and roughly 4,000 to 4,500 Marines.
  • Caracas condemns the operation as a direct threat, alleging eight U.S. ships with 1,200 missiles and a nuclear‑powered submarine are targeting the country, as Nicolás Maduro activates militia and reservists and warns of armed resistance if attacked.
  • Regional responses diverge as Colombia convenes an emergency CELAC meeting to press for dialogue, while Guyana’s President Irfaan Ali voices support for the U.S. deployment.
  • Washington frames the campaign as counternarcotics and has increased pressure on Caracas, including a $50 million reward for information leading to Maduro’s arrest.