🚨 Big waves in the Caribbean! Over the weekend, the United States military says it took down a 'drug-carrying submarine' packed with fentanyl and other narcotics en route to the US. Two suspected traffickers died in the strike, while two survivors are on their way back to Ecuador and Colombia to face the music.
US President Donald Trump posted a short video on his Truth Social platform showing a semi-submersible vessel getting hit. 'It was my great honor to destroy a very large DRUG-CARRYING SUBMARINE,' he wrote, adding that the mission hit a key narcotrafficking transit route.
According to Trump, two of the suspected 'terrorists' were killed in the operation. The remaining two are being repatriated to their countries of origin—Ecuador and Colombia—for detention and prosecution under local laws.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro confirmed on X that the Colombian suspect had been returned home. 'We are glad he is alive, and he will be prosecuted according to the law,' Petro said, earning a nod of approval from justice-watchers.
Ecuador's authorities have been tight-lipped so far, with no immediate comment from their communications office or foreign ministry.
This submarine strike is just one move in a broader US anti-drug campaign in the Caribbean. Since last September, at least six vessels—mostly speedboats—have been targeted. Some are believed to have roots in Venezuela, sparking accusations and denials on both sides.
Legal experts and some lawmakers in the US have raised eyebrows at the campaign, questioning whether these unilateral strikes adhere to international law and the laws of war.
The military action comes amid a hefty US buildup in the region: guided missile destroyers, F-35 fighter jets, a nuclear submarine, and roughly 6,500 troops. Just this week, Trump even gave the CIA the green light for covert ops inside Venezuela, ramping up the spy-thriller vibes. 🎥🕵️♂️
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has denied any ties to drug smuggling and slammed the strikes as an excuse for regime change. Caracas has asked the UN Security Council to declare the strikes illegal and defend Venezuela's sovereignty.
As tensions simmer, this latest strike highlights the high-stakes game of narco-warfare in the Caribbean—and the complex legal and political questions that come with it.
Reference(s):
U.S. to repatriate survivors of strike on 'drug-carrying submarine'
cgtn.com
