Tensions between Venezuela and the United States have surged following a series of deadly U.S. military operations in the Caribbean Sea. The Venezuelan government is calling for an international investigation, accusing the U.S. of committing extrajudicial killings under the guise of counternarcotics operations.
U.S. Attacks Spark Outrage and Military Response
The U.S. military has deployed eight ships in the Caribbean, claiming they are targeting drug trafficking routes. According to President Donald Trump, three boats have been destroyed since early September, resulting in 14 deaths.
A recent video posted by Trump on his Truth Social account showed a U.S. attack on a suspected drug-running vessel, claiming the lives of three so-called “narco terrorists.” However, he did not specify the exact location of the incident.
Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López responded forcefully on Friday, labeling the U.S. presence as a military threat. Speaking during military exercises on La Orchila Island, Padrino described the situation as “an undeclared war.”
“Executed, without the right to a defense,” he said. “With so much technology and so much power, yet not being able to intercept a boat in the Caribbean Sea’s waters…”
The Venezuelan military began 72-hour exercises this week, including missile launches from the island just 65 kilometers off the mainland. The display of force comes days after a U.S. vessel intercepted a fishing boat in nearby waters.
Meanwhile, opposition leader Henrique Capriles offered a more tempered perspective, emphasizing the need for political—not military—solutions. “I continue to believe the solution is not military, but political. I am anti-war,” said Capriles
Venezuela Calls on UN to Investigate
In a formal escalation, Venezuela has appealed to the United Nations to investigate what it claims are human rights violations by the United States. Attorney General Tarek William Saab accused the U.S. of using excessive force against unarmed civilians.
“The use of missiles and nuclear weapons to serially kill defenseless fishermen in a small boat are crimes against humanity that must be investigated by the UN,” Saab said in an official statement.
Foreign Minister Yván Gil added that Venezuela has approached the UN Security Council to demand an end to U.S. military operations in the region, calling them acts of terror aimed at intimidating Venezuelan fishermen.
According to Gil, Venezuela’s ambassador to the UN, Alexander Yánez, has formally presented the country’s position on what it views as escalating U.S. aggression in the Caribbean.
The two countries have had no diplomatic ties since 2019, with Washington branding President Nicolás Maduro a drug trafficker and offering a $50 million bounty for his capture. As the standoff intensifies, the risk of broader regional instability looms large.
