US Strikes on Suspected Drug Boats Near Venezuela Spark Legal and Political Backlash

The United States military has carried out at least four strikes on small vessels in the Caribbean Sea near Venezuelan waters since September 3, killing 21 people. The Trump administration says the boats were transporting narcotics as part of its “war on cartels”, with President Donald Trump declaring cartels to be “unlawful combatants” in a “non-international armed conflict.”

But critics, including rights groups and legal scholars, argue the actions amount to extrajudicial killings that violate both US and international law. Human Rights Watch noted that drug trafficking does not constitute armed conflict under international law, while experts warned that targeting cartels with military force risks blurring the line between law enforcement and warfare.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro condemned the strikes as “heinous crimes” and has threatened to declare a state of emergency. The US has deployed warships, submarines, and fighter jets to the region, heightening fears of military confrontation.

The strikes have also drawn regional and global criticism. Leaders from Brazil and Colombia denounced the attacks as unlawful executions, while Russia and China accused Washington of escalating tensions and violating international law.

The escalation comes amid already strained US-Venezuela relations, with Washington labeling Venezuelan cartels as global terrorist organisations and offering a $50 million bounty for Maduro, whom it accuses of narco-trafficking. Analysts warn that the strikes could further erode US credibility in Latin America and deepen distrust toward its interventions.