US Warships(?) Just Destroyed Cartel Ships from Venezuela

[Melensdad]

The Venezuelan Drug Cartels have been declared TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS

This opens up lots of possibilities.

https://thepostmillennial.com/breaking-trump-rubio-confirm-us-lethal-strike-against-venezuelan-drug-vessel-in-carribean

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BREAKING: Trump announces the US military has just conducted a lethal strike against a Venezuelan drug cartel vessel in the Caribbean​

Roberto Wakerell-CruzSep 2, 2025​

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“These came out of Venezuela — and coming out very heavily from Venezuela. A lot of things are coming out of Venezuela."​

Montreal QC​

3 minute read​

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President Donald Trump said Tuesday that US forces destroyed a vessel carrying narcotics from Venezuela during operations in the Caribbean.

“We just over the last few minutes, literally, shot out a boat, a drug-carrying boat, a lot of drugs in that boat,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “These came out of Venezuela — and coming out very heavily from Venezuela. A lot of things are coming out of Venezuela. So we took it out, and you’ll get to see that after this meeting is over.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed the action in a post on social media. “As [President Trump] announced moments ago, today the US military conducted a lethal strike in the southern Caribbean against a drug vessel which had departed from Venezuela and was being operated by a designated narco-terrorist organization,” Rubio wrote.

The strike comes as part of the administration’s deployment of naval assets to the region aimed at disrupting narcotics trafficking networks tied to Venezuela.

President Trump reportedly ordered the Pentagon to begin using military force against cartels that have been deemed terrorist organizations under his administration last week. ​

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Anna Kelly, a spokeswoman for the White House, told the New York Times when asked about Trump authorizing military force against cartels, said "President Trump’s top priority is protecting the homeland, which is why he took the bold step to designate several cartels and gangs as foreign terrorist organizations."​

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Sources told the outlet that US military leaders were drafting potential plans to target cartel groups that have been formally designated as terrorist organizations. The guidance is reportedly “focused on US forces directly capturing or killing people involved in the drug trade.”

The developments come as both National Guard and active-duty military personnel have been deployed to the southern border under the Trump administration to curb the movement of narcotics and illegal immigrants. In recent months, the administration has branded groups including Tren de Aragua, MS-13, and Venezuela’s Cartel of the Suns — also known as Cartel de los Soles — as foreign terrorist organizations.​

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On Thursday, the White House announced a $50 million reward for information leading to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. “Maduro uses foreign terrorist organizations like Tren de Aragua, Sinaloa, and Cartel of the Suns that bring deadly drugs and violence into our country,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said. “Today, the DEA has seized 30 tons of cocaine linked to Maduro, and his associates, with nearly 7 tons linked to Maduro himself, which represents a primary source of income for the deadly cartels based in Venezuela and Mexico.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio argued that the new designation strengthens US capabilities. “Labeling cartels as terrorist groups allows the US to use other elements of American power, intelligence agencies, the Department of Defense, whatever, to target these groups if we have an opportunity to do it,” he said Thursday. “We have to start treating them as armed terrorist organizations, not simply drug dealing organizations.”This is a breaking news story. Refresh for updates.

 

[Melensdad]

From ZeroHedge:

US Military Conducts Lethal Strike On Drug-Boat That Departed Venezuela | ZeroHedge

ZeroHedge - On a long enough timeline, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero

www.zerohedge.com

US Military Conducts Lethal Strike On Drug-Boat That Departed Venezuela​

Geopolitical fireworks have erupted in the Caribbean amid the tense showdown that's ensued with US Navy warships moving into the region with an eye on Maduro's Venezuela. Maduro has in the last days been engaged in his own 'show of force' - sending extra troops into Venezuelan border areas.​

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The White House has confirmed Tuesday that the US military carried out a strike in the southern Caribbean against a drug-carrying vessel that earlier departed Venezuela's coast. President Trump announced the surprise development from the Oval Office: “When you leave the room, you’ll see that we just, over the last few minutes, literally, shot a boat - a drug-carrying boat," he told reporters, describing that there were “a lot of drugs" on the vessel.​

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Illustrative US Navy image​

Secretary of State Marco Rubio separately announced on X that the vessel was being operated by a "designated narco-terrorist organization" - calling it a lethal strike.​

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The ship had "departed from Venezuela and was being operated by a designated narco-terrorist organization," Rubio wrote. The Pentagon has not offered any initial comment in the immediate strike aftermath, and few other details are known of the incident...​

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Trump will surely come under criticism from some sectors of his base, after he repeatedly promised to not start new wars. However, the administration is selling this fresh action and the naval deployment as part of drug enforcement.​

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Last Friday, Stephen Miller, deputy White House chief of staff, described that the fresh military build-up off Venezuela and in regional waters is to "combat and dismantle drug trafficking organizations, criminal cartels and these foreign terrorist organizations in our hemisphere."​

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Analysts have questioned just how a larger military presence will disrupt the drug trade, as opposed to conventional law enforcement mechanisms which have for decades been involved. According to a Reuters backgrounder:​

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Among other things, most of the seaborne drug trade travels to the United States via the Pacific, not the Atlantic, where the U.S. forces are, and much of what arrives via the Caribbean comes on clandestine flights.​

Venezuelan officials believe their government might be the real target. In early August, the United States doubled its reward for information leading to the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to $50 million over allegations of drug trafficking and links to criminal groups.​

Maduro, Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello and the country's ambassador to the United Nations Samuel Moncada have said the U.S. is threatening the country with the naval deployments, in violation of international treaties. They have also scoffed at U.S. assertions that the country and its leadership are key to major international drug trafficking.​

Venezuela's Defense Minister General Vladimir Padrino said last Friday: "Venezuelans know who is behind these military threats by the United States against our country." He emphasized, "We are not drug traffickers, we are noble and hard-working people."​

And Venezuela's dictator responds:

https://thehill.com/policy/international/5481618-us-military-venezuela-donald-trump/

Venezuela at ‘maximum preparedness’ with US warships in Caribbean: Maduro​

Venezuela is at “maximum preparedness” in light of the U.S. military bolstering its maritime force in the Caribbean to combat threats from Latin American drug cartels, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro said.​

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“In the face of this maximum military pressure, we have declared maximum preparedness for the defense of Venezuela,” Maduro said during a press conferenceMonday, The Associated Press reported. ​

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Maduro described the deployment of several U.S. ships, a submarine and Marines as “an extravagant, unjustifiable, immoral and absolutely criminal and bloody threat.”​

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[FrancSevin]

And Venezuela's dictator responds:

https://thehill.com/policy/international/5481618-us-military-venezuela-donald-trump/

Venezuela at ‘maximum preparedness’ with US warships in Caribbean: Maduro​

Venezuela is at “maximum preparedness” in light of the U.S. military bolstering its maritime force in the Caribbean to combat threats from Latin American drug cartels, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro said.​

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“In the face of this maximum military pressure, we have declared maximum preparedness for the defense of Venezuela,” Maduro said during a press conferenceMonday, The Associated Press reported. ​

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Maduro described the deployment of several U.S. ships, a submarine and Marines as “an extravagant, unjustifiable, immoral and absolutely criminal and bloody threat.”​

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Ma threat.”duro described the deployment of several U.S. ships, a submarine and Marines as “an extravagant, unjustifiable, immoral and absolutely criminal and bloody

I am glad to see Maduro got the message.

 

[Melensdad]

Video of a missile striking a cartel drug boat.

Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump)

Earlier this morning, on my Orders, U.S. Military Forces conducted a kinetic strike against positively identified Tren de Aragua Narcoterrorists in the SOUTHCOM area of responsibility. TDA is a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization, operating under the control of Nicolas Maduro, responsible...

truthsocial.com

 

[FrancSevin]

And just like that,,,message sent and received.

 

[Don Coyote]

Someday,....... perhaps "True Justice" may come to the people of Mexico and South America and they will WANT TO STAY in their native lands instead of fleeing to the North.

......... Fingers crossed.

 

[tiredretired]

In protest, the Dumbs are calling for multiple days of mourning and a hunger strike. It’s undisclosed if they'll be participating in the strife.

 

[Don Coyote]

In protest, the Dumbs are calling for multiple days of mourning and a hunger strike.

Protesting that their supply chain has been disrupted?

 

[Melensdad]

 

[FrancSevin]

The Cartels now use semi submarines. hard to spot on radar or from satilites.

 

[Melensdad]

There are some serious legal questions about who was killed.

One side would suggest that there was no real evidence that these were terrorist/cartel members. Another side would suggest that even if they are suspects, what if a few of the people are innocents? What if a few are girlfriends of drug dealers but not culpable? What if a few were victims of human trafficking?

All the above can be true.

But if the US didn't have proof there is a legitimate reason to claim war crimes are committed.

There are also legitimate reasons to consent to destroying the alleged "drug ship"

But we must be consistent to the US Constitution if we are going to be honest with ourselves.

I give huge KUDOS to US Senator Rand Paul for being intellectually honest and consistent. He questioned Obama's killing of US citizens by drone. He now questions the attacking of the "drug ship" without more evidence. Anyone who is honest can agree with this. We need at least some logic, some proof, something that is irrefutable.

And we must admit that 2 things that seem contradictory can be true.

Criminals can be killed by our military if they are a threat, but also people must be presumed innocent until proven guilty. So howdy we know they are criminals? I won't cry if they are. But what if innocents were on that boat too.

So if you are a Christian, at least consider this:

Genesis 18 DRB

 

[FrancSevin]

There are some serious legal questions about who was killed.

One side would suggest that there was no real evidence that these were terrorist/cartel members. Another side would suggest that even if they are suspects, what if a few of the people are innocents? What if a few are girlfriends of drug dealers but not culpable? What if a few were victims of human trafficking?

All the above can be true.

But if the US didn't have proof there is a legitimate reason to claim war crimes are committed.

There are also legitimate reasons to consent to destroying the alleged "drug ship"

But we must be consistent to the US Constitution if we are going to be honest with ourselves.

I give huge KUDOS to US Senator Rand Paul for being intellectually honest and consistent. He questioned Obama's killing of US citizens by drone. He now questions the attacking of the "drug ship" without more evidence. Anyone who is honest can agree with this. We need at least some logic, some proof, something that is irrefutable.

And we must admit that 2 things that seem contradictory can be true.

Criminals can be killed by our military if they are a threat, but also people must be presumed innocent until proven guilty. So howdy we know they are criminals? I won't cry if they are. But what if innocents were on that boat too.

So if you are a Christian, at least consider this:

Genesis 18 DRB

I do understand your concerns here. And, you do bring up a valid point. However,,,;
Whilst I have no proof to the contrary, I seriously doubt our military is blowing up random boats in the South Carribean. We most likely have assets on the ground helping identify those boats, or the occupants, as being involved in the drug smuggling. They are targeted for a purpose.

This is Venezuela. As sworn enemies of our nation, acting in what is essentially an act of war, they are not subject to the Constitutional presumption of innocence as provided to our citizens.

As to the biblical reference, Abraham's caution to the Lord was appropriate. However, the Lord had the power to kill everyone or anyone by intentionally omitting the individuals that were just. If they existed, certainly, He knew of them. And yet, he did destroy the entire city. The destruction of the entire city was a lesson. To the Just and the unjust.
Guilt by association? Perhaps that is the moral of the story of Sodom.

The frustration of righteous Americans is with a government that will not punish and control rampant crime. We are trying.
I would humbly suggest, Venezuelans, in known drug boats, are not.

 

[Melensdad]

Will the US now strike the cartels drug labs and cartel leaders in their homes on Venezuelan soil?

Partial story from UK's The Daily Mail suggests drone strikes inside the nation and cites NBC as their source.

US military 'preparing to strike INSIDE Venezuela' in major escalation

Donald Trump is yet to approve the actions which are in response to President Nicolas Maduro, whom the U.S. sees as illegitimate, not doing enough to stop illegal drugs from getting out.

www.dailymail.co.uk

US military 'preparing to strike inside Venezuela' in move that would mark major escalation​

. . . Donald Trump is yet to approve the actions which are in response to President Nicolas Maduro, whom the U.S. sees as illegitimate, not doing enough to stop illegal drugs from getting out of Venezuela. ​

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It would largely consist of drone strikes against leaders and members of gangs, as well as drug labs, NBC News reports. ​

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They follow a recent lethal strike on a vessel allegedly affiliated with a terrorist organization 'trafficking illicit narcotics'.​

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The attack killed 'three male narcoterrorists' took place in the US Southern Command's area of responsibility, the president said.​

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Trump administration officials expressed disappointment that the move and any of the recent military escalations do not appear to have weakened Maduro.​

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They're also wary about further attacks after the backlash to the Venezuelan boat bomb. ​

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The White House referred to Trump's prior comments on the matter: 'We’ll see what happens. Venezuela is sending us their gang members, their drug dealers and drugs. It’s not acceptable.' . . . .​

. . . ​

Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro - whom the United States does not recognize as legitimate - has urged citizens to join militia training.​

. . .​

The Trump administration has issued a $50 million bounty on Maduro, accusing him of 'violating US narcotics laws' and being a leader of Cartel de los Soles.​

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In July, the US Department of the Treasury sanctioned the Cartel de los Soles, alleging it was a 'Venezuela-based criminal group' headed by Maduro and associates in his government.​

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FBI director Kash Patel has compared the Trump administration's approach to illegal drug smuggling to how terrorist organizations were treated following 9/11.​

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‘Whether that’s in a kill operation, a capture operation, a surrender operation, or a host nation takedown, like we did with the counterterrorism mission sets in Afghanistan and Iraq and Pakistan and elsewhere, we are applying that to the drug traffickers in Mexico and Venezuela and Colombia,’ he said.​