Five Killed in US Military Strikes on Pacific Vessels Amid Venezuela Tensions
The US military has carried out lethal strikes on two vessels in the Pacific Ocean, killing five people, according to Southern Command (SOUTHCOM). The attacks are part of a campaign targeting alleged seaborne drug traffickers, which has left at least 104 dead since September 2025.

Details of the Strikes

• Three people were killed on one vessel and two on another, following orders from US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.
• Thursday’s attack came a day after another strike on a separate vessel that killed four people in international waters.
• The US military claims all nine victims over the two days were “male narco-terrorists”, but has provided no proof linking the vessels to drug trafficking.

Legal and International Concerns

Legal experts have raised concerns over reported strikes on shipwreck survivors, which could constitute war crimes. Latin American leaders have denounced the attacks as extrajudicial killings, while the Trump administration defends them as necessary to stop drug trafficking from Latin America, particularly Venezuelan cartels.

Escalation in Latin America

President Donald Trump has ordered a large-scale military deployment to the region and threatened to remove Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, citing alleged drug cartel activity. The US also announced a total naval blockade of sanctioned Venezuelan oil tankers, aiming to restrict the country’s oil exports.

Maduro condemned the military buildup, accusing the US of using drug trafficking as a cover for regime change and seizing Venezuela’s oil reserves.

Calls for Mediation

Latin American leaders have offered to mediate to prevent conflict:

• Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva expressed willingness to mediate and called for dialogue instead of military action.
• Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum also offered to help broker a peaceful solution between Washington and Caracas.

Lula warned that the US campaign could involve interests beyond Maduro’s removal, potentially including oil, critical minerals, and rare earth resources.

Military Buildup

The US has deployed 15,000 personnel, 11 warships (including its largest aircraft carrier), and a squadron of F-35 fighter jets, along with drones and other aircraft, marking the largest US military buildup in Latin America in decades.