The Trump administration authorized another US military strike against a suspected drug vessel in the eastern Pacific Ocean,resulting in the deaths of three individuals,officials confirmed Sunday. The incident occurred as tensions escalate in the Caribbean, where the world’s largest aircraft carrier recently deployed amid concerns over regional stability and Venezuela‘s response to US pressure.
This latest action follows a pattern of increased US military engagement targeting drug trafficking operations in the region, a strategy the administration says is vital to protecting the American homeland. The deployment of the aircraft carrier strike group and concurrent military exercises with allies like Trinidad and Tobago signal a heightened US posture aimed at countering illicit activities and asserting influence in the Western Hemisphere. Venezuela’s government has condemned the exercises as an act of aggression.
Rear Adm. John Holsey, commander of the US Fourth Fleet, stated the strike group’s deployment is “a critical step in reinforcing our resolve to protect the security of the western hemisphere and the safety of the American homeland.”
In Trinidad and Tobago, government officials reported troops have begun joint “training exercises” with the US military, scheduled to continue throughout the week. Foreign affairs Minister Sean Sobers described the exercises as the second in less than a month, focused on addressing “violent crime” on the island nation, a known transit point for drug shipments. The exercises involve marines from the 22nd expeditionary unit stationed on navy ships positioned off Venezuela’s coast for months.
Venezuela’s government has characterized the training exercises as aggressive, and offered no immediate comment Sunday regarding the arrival of the aircraft carrier.
