Venezuela formally accused the United States of waging an undeclared war in the Caribbean on Friday, demanding a UN investigation into American strikes that killed over a dozen alleged drug traffickers on boats in recent weeks. Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez declared US military strikes an undeclared war during Friday’s military exercises, citing executions without the right to defense. His remarks followed US President Donald Trump’s announcement of another military strike killing three alleged narcoterrorists, raising total deaths to 17 in recent Caribbean operations. Trump did not specify when the attack occurred, only stating it happened within US Southern Command’s area covering Central America, South America, and the Caribbean.
Venezuela’s UN Call for Investigation
Venezuelan Attorney General Tarek William Saab condemned missile strikes on defenseless fishermen in the Caribbean Sea as crimes against humanity requiring immediate UN investigation. Washington has not provided specific evidence confirming drug trafficking on targeted boats, fueling widespread skepticism about the operation’s legitimacy. Legal experts question the strikes’ legality because drug trafficking does not qualify as a capital offense under United States law.
Washington recently deployed warships to international waters off Venezuela’s coast, supported by F-35 fighters based in Puerto Rico for an anti-drug operation. Venezuela launched three days of military exercises on La Orchila island in response to a US flotilla of seven ships and a nuclear-powered submarine. La Orchila lies near the area where US forces intercepted and held a Venezuelan fishing vessel for eight hours over the weekend.
Opposition Rejects Invasion
Opposition figure Henrique Capriles rejected any US military intervention, insisting political solutions resolve Venezuela’s crisis instead of military force. He criticized Trump’s actions as counterproductive, arguing they entrench Maduro’s power and worsen Venezuela’s political crisis significantly. Capriles called for releasing nearly a thousand dissidents jailed under Maduro and urged improved foreign relations.
Maduro urged citizens to join militia training to defend the homeland, while Washington maintains a $50 million bounty on him for alleged drug trafficking. He accused the US of plotting regime change to seize Venezuela’s oil resources, vowing Caracas will exercise its legitimate right to self-defense. However, Capriles emphasized military solutions only deepen divisions and undermine democratic progress.
