President Donald Trump has declared that the United States is in an “armed conflict” with drug cartels, according to a notice sent to Congress following military strikes on vessels near Venezuela.
The notice, obtained by AFP on Thursday, was intended to provide a legal basis for at least three recent operations that killed at least 14 people in international waters.
The Trump administration has deployed several naval vessels to the Caribbean Sea in an effort to stop drug trafficking, amid growing tensions with Venezuela’s government led by President Nicolas Maduro.
The Pentagon’s notice classified the cartels as non-state armed groups and designated them as terrorist organizations, noting that their activities constitute an armed attack against the United States.
The letter also referred to the suspected smugglers as unlawful combatants.The strikes reportedly targeted boats believed to be carrying drugs off the Venezuelan coast. While the White House defended the actions as consistent with the law of armed conflict, some legal experts have questioned their legality under international law.
Tensions in the region have increased following these operations. Venezuela reported detecting an “illegal incursion” by five U.S. fighter jets approximately 75 kilometers from its coastline.
The Venezuelan defense minister described the flights as a provocation and a threat to national security, while the government accused the United States of violating international law and endangering civil aviation in the Caribbean.
The Trump administration recently sent 10 F-35 jets to Puerto Rico, along with eight warships and a nuclear submarine, marking the largest U.S. military deployment in the Caribbean in over 30 years.
These forces are part of a stated mission to combat drug trafficking routes into the United States.The buildup followed incidents such as Venezuelan jets flying close to U.S. naval vessels, after which Trump warned Caracas against repeated actions.
President Maduro has accused the U.S. of attempting to destabilize his government and force regime change.The Pentagon’s letter to Congress was legally required after any military strike involving U.S. forces, and the White House described it as a notification rather than new policy.
The situation adds to escalating tensions between Washington and Caracas, with both sides maintaining a strong military presence in the Caribbean.