US attacks drug boat

Washington (dpa) — The United States fired a “lethal strike” against what it says was a ship loaded with drugs that had departed from Venezuela, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on X on Tuesday.

The ship “was being operated by a designated narco-terrorist organization,” Rubio claimed.

Shortly before, US President Donald Trump announced at a press conference, without providing specific details, that the US had taken action against a boat carrying drugs.

Recently, tensions between the two countries have escalated. According to media reports, the US has deployed several warships off the Venezuelan Caribbean coast in recent weeks, claiming the move is aimed at intercepting drug smugglers.

Additionally, Washington has doubled the reward for information leading to the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to up to $50 million. The US Department of Justice says Maduro is involved in international drug trafficking.

Maduro calls US military presence ‘greatest threat’

Maduro has described the US military presence in the Caribbean as the “greatest threat” in a century.

“Venezuela is facing the greatest threat our continent has experienced in the last 100 years,” he said on Monday during a press conference with foreign correspondents. “Eight warships with 1,200 missiles and a nuclear submarine are targeting Venezuela. It is an extravagant threat. Unjustifiable, immoral and absolutely criminal,” he said.

Maduro warned of armed resistance in the event of a US attack. Previously, he had announced plans to recruit additional militia members.

According to its own statements, the militia currently has around 4.5 million members, including reservists, numerous members of the socialist ruling party, employees of state-owned companies and pensioners. Security experts, however, doubt the militia’s military effectiveness.