KEY POINTS
- The US military destroyed a fourth suspected narco-trafficking vessel off Venezuela.
- Cartel expert Katrina Schultz says the focus is shifting from Mexico to Venezuela.
- Analysts warn the strikes could escalate tensions with Nicolás Maduro's regime.
The United States military has carried out a fourth successful strike on a suspected narco-trafficking vessel off the coast of Venezuela, as the Trump administration intensifies its crackdown on cartels designated as foreign terrorist organisations (FTOs).
President Donald Trump announced the operation on Truth Social, claiming the intercepted boat was carrying enough narcotics to 'kill between 25,000 and 50,000 people'. The strike follows three similar operations in recent weeks, underscoring Washington's increasingly aggressive posture in the Caribbean and Latin America.
Focus Shifts from Mexico to Venezuela
While much of the administration's rhetoric has centred on Mexican cartels such as Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation, analysts say the pattern of recent strikes suggests a shift toward Venezuela. Cartel expert Katrina Schultz told Fox News that the Trump administration's focus on Venezuelan waters 'checks out because Cartel de los Soles is allegedly led by Nicolás Maduro'.
Schultz added that another violent faction, the Tren de Aragua gang, has become a growing concern for Washington. 'This focus has been very concentrated in Venezuela, particularly on these boats that the administration is saying are narco-trafficking vessels,' she explained.
According to Schultz, the strikes are intended to demonstrate US resolve. 'If for a fact these are drug trafficking operations, the US is not backing down. They're showing who holds the power here in Venezuela, in Mexico, and really when it comes to any cartel that has been labelled a foreign terrorist organisation,' she said.
The FTO Designation and Its Message
In January, the Trump administration officially designated several cartels, including Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation, as foreign terrorist organisations — a move that opened the door to broader military engagement. Schultz said the latest actions are a clear warning: 'They're certainly receiving a message.'
She explained that when the FTO designation was first announced, some cartel members believed they could 'wait it out' until a change in leadership in Washington. However, Schultz said that perception has changed dramatically. 'That notion has shifted, especially over recent weeks. There have been certain actions — literally blowing up these vessels — that have changed the perception for a lot of these drug cartels,' she noted.
According to security experts, the Trump administration is now blurring the line between law enforcement and military action, treating transnational drug organisations more like insurgent threats.
Venezuela's Role and Regional Implications
The Venezuelan government, led by President Nicolás Maduro, has long been accused by the US of harbouring or even cooperating with drug trafficking networks. Washington has previously linked members of the Venezuelan military to the so-called Cartel de los Soles ("Cartel of the Suns"), alleging they facilitate the transport of cocaine through the country's ports and airfields.
While Caracas has denied any involvement, the US Treasury and Justice Departments have issued multiple sanctions and indictments against senior Venezuelan officials in recent years.
Regional analysts warn that the intensifying US strikes could heighten tensions with Maduro's government and raise the risk of confrontation in contested waters. But supporters of the policy say it marks a decisive shift in tackling a cross-border crisis that has long overwhelmed traditional drug enforcement methods.
Trump's 'Zero Tolerance' Approach
President Trump has repeatedly linked the rise in fentanyl and cocaine deaths in the United States to cartel activity in Latin America. His latest post hailed the destruction of the Venezuelan drug boat as 'a message to the world that America will never tolerate narco-terrorism on our doorstep'.
The Pentagon has not disclosed the precise location of the most recent strike but confirmed that all operations complied with international maritime law. Analysts say further missions are likely as the administration ramps up its election-year messaging on national security and border control.
As Schultz put it, 'These actual, tangible actions from the administration are changing the perception for a lot of these cartels. The message is loud and clear.'
Originally published on IBTimes UK
