US Strikes Kill Five in Latin America Drug Operations

LATIN AMERICA: (Web Desk) – The United States military says it has killed five people in two separate strikes targeting suspected drug trafficking vessels in waters off Latin America over the past two days, bringing the total death toll from its ongoing maritime campaign to at least 190.

The US Southern Command said one of the latest operations took place in the Eastern Pacific, where a vessel allegedly linked to designated terrorist organizations was struck.

In a statement shared on social media platform X, SOUTHCOM said the vessel was traveling along known narco-trafficking routes and was engaged in drug smuggling activities. Three individuals described as “narco-terrorists” were killed in that strike.

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A separate operation on Monday in the Caribbean resulted in the deaths of two additional people, according to the command.

The campaign is being carried out under the broader security posture of the administration of Donald Trump, which has characterized drug trafficking networks in Latin America as “narco-terrorist” organizations and claims it is effectively engaged in a conflict with them.

However, the operations have drawn international scrutiny and legal debate, as US authorities have not publicly presented conclusive evidence that the targeted vessels were actively transporting drugs at the time of the strikes.

Critics argue that the lack of transparency raises questions about the legality of the strikes under international law, while US officials maintain that the actions are necessary to disrupt powerful transnational criminal networks.