Three more US strikes kill 8 suspected drug traffickers

US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. - AP PHOTO

THE US has carried out three more lethal strikes, killing eight people, in international waters as tensions escalate between the US and neighbouring Venezuela.

At 10.33 pm on December 15 via X (formerly Twitter), the US Southern Command (USSouthCom) posted on the latest operation.

It said that at the direction of the US Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear held "lethal kinetic strikes" on three vessels operated by Designated Terrorist Organisations (DTO) in international waters.

It added, "Intelligence confirmed that the vessels were transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and were engaged in narco-trafficking. A total of eight male narco-terrorists were killed during these actions – three in the first vessel, two in the second and three in the third."

A 47-second video of the attack accompanied the post.

So far, at least 95 people have been killed by US forces in over 20 alleged drug-boat strikes, since the first operation in September.

The Donald Trump-led administration has said the strikes were part of the fight against drug trafficking. The Nicolás Maduro-led government has claimed that the US is attempting to take control of Venezuela's natural resources by trying to oust the current Bolivarian administration.

Earlier at 1.17 pm on December 15, US Republican congressman Jimmy Panetta criticised the actions in a Facebook post.

"Over a month ago, I signed on to legislation to prevent Trump from going to war with Venezuela. The administration's threats to carry out land strikes in Venezuela are unacceptable," the post said.

"Congress must pass the No Unauthorized Force in Venezuela Act to prevent this administration from dragging us into an unnecessary conflict with Venezuela."

In Trinidad and Tobago, one of Venezuela's closest neighbours, the Kamla Persad-Bissessar-led government has publicly supported the US actions against the drug trade in the region.

In a media statement on December 15 by Foreign Affairs and Caricom Minister Sean Sobers, the government announced it had granted approval for the US military to access its two airports in the coming weeks.

The approval is part of what was described as the government's "commitment to co-operation and collaboration in the pursuit of safety and security for TT and the wider region."

This development comes amid controversy surrounding the US-installed radar, an AN/TPS-80 G/ATOR system, at the ANR International Airport in Crown Point, Tobago.

The radar has been the centre of heated political debate, considering the US military build-up in the Southern Caribbean.

The government has also credited the radar with assisting in a recent major marijuana seizures worth $171 million at Caroni Swamp.

On December 16, former Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Amery Browne took to Facebook to comment on the use of the Piarco and Tobago airports by the US military.

He said Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar should be informed that the nation's airports are designed, staffed, and secured for civilian use, "not for use as air bases for military aircraft of various types for an unspecified duration.

"Such aircraft carry a wide range of munitions and explosives that will not be disclosed to the people of TT but will now be transiting our airspace, flying over our houses, and landing on our soil," he said.

He questioned whether TT is prepared for accidents and incidents, and whether Persad-Bissessar had communicated with people near the airports.

Browne further questioned whether the safety of civilian and cargo aircraft has been considered, and to what extent the emergency and fire facilities in Crown Point and Piarco have been upgraded and prepared for military contingencies.

Browne charged that for the past six months the Prime Minister has "refused to properly address" the nation on her regional policies and ongoing contributions to a regime-change war.

He alleged that instead, she has defined her governance "by using WhatsApp messages to select journalists and various media releases in the manner of local versions of executive orders."

"All of this during a perpetual nationwide state of emergency that her government insists is 'not a crime-fighting measure.'"

He added that Persad-Bissessar "viciously demonises and denigrates" anyone who dares to question her positions and decisions.

Browne said she refers to them with slurs such as "haters of the American people" and supporters of "cartels", in a manner he considered that can best be described as fascist.

He concluded, "As a further shield from critique and transparency, she deploys junior ministers on social media (paid by the taxpayers) to spew insults day and night, with the occasional death threat from the activists thrown in for good measure. Welcome to the new democracy of this latest version of the UNC."