The Trump administration has defended recent military
strikes in the Caribbean Sea that killed at least 14 people, framing the
operations as lawful actions against “terrorist organizations” and “unlawful
combatants.”
A Pentagon letter to Congress, obtained by AFP on
Thursday, said the strikes targeted boats allegedly carrying drugs off
Venezuela’s coast. The document argued that drug cartels qualify as non-state
armed groups engaged in an “armed attack” against the United States.
White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly insisted the
actions were consistent with the law of armed conflict. “He is delivering on
his promise to take on the cartels and eliminate these national security
threats from murdering more Americans,” she said.
Rising Tensions With Caracas
The military build-up has deepened tensions with
Venezuela’s leftist president Nicolas Maduro, who accuses Washington of
seeking regime change. On Thursday, Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino
claimed five US fighter jets flew just 75 kilometers from Venezuelan shores,
denouncing it as a “provocation” and a threat to national security.
Last month, Trump deployed 10 F-35 jets to Puerto
Rico, eight warships, and a nuclear submarine in the region — the largest
US military presence in the Caribbean in more than 30 years. He also warned
Venezuela its aircraft risk being shot down after two of its planes buzzed an
American naval vessel.
Legal Questions Raised
While the White House insists the strikes were
legitimate, some legal experts have questioned whether targeting suspected
smugglers in international waters complies with international law.
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