Nov 17 Trump floats possible talks with Venezuela but leaves military action on the table By Regina Garcia Cano, Aamer Madhani, Associated Press President Donald Trump isn't ruling out military action against Venezuela despite bringing up potential diplomatic talks with its leader, Nicolás Maduro. Continue reading
Nov 16 U.S. aircraft carrier arrives in the Caribbean in major buildup near Venezuela By Ben Finley, Associated Press The nation's most advanced aircraft carrier arrived in the Caribbean Sea on Sunday in a display of U.S. military power, raising questions about what the new influx of troops and weaponry could signal for the Trump administration's drug enforcement campaign in South America. Continue reading
Nov 12 Watch 6:42 U.S. carrier in Caribbean amid Venezuela tensions and outcry over drug boat strikes By Nick Schifrin, Kayan Taraporevala, Dan Sagalyn A U.S. aircraft carrier reached the Caribbean as part of the Trump administration’s escalating pressure campaign on Venezuela and its broader effort to combat drug trafficking. In recent months, the U.S. has killed dozens of people, prompting an outcry across… Continue watching
Nov 07 Trump has accused boat strike targets of being narco-terrorists. The truth is more nuanced, AP investigation finds By Regina Garcia Cano, Associated Press In dozens of interviews in villages on Venezuela’s breathtaking northeastern coast, from which some of the boats departed, residents and relatives said the dead men had indeed been running drugs but were not narco-terrorists or leaders of a cartel or gang. Continue reading
Nov 04 Trump administration announces 16th deadly strike on an alleged drug boat By Konstantin Toropin, Associated Press The attack Tuesday killed two people aboard the vessel, Hegseth said, bringing the death toll from the Trump administration's campaign in South American waters up to at least 66 people in at least 16 strikes. Continue reading
Oct 31 WATCH: Trump denies U.S. is considering strikes against Venezuela By Associated Press The Trump administration has carried out a series of strikes on boats in the Pacific Ocean that it contends were carrying drugs. The strikes have killed 61 people and the U.S. has also built up an unusually large force of… Continue reading
Oct 31 All the U.S. military strikes against alleged drug boats By Joshua Barajas The U.S. military has killed more than 100 people in targeted strikes on small vessels in waters off South America since early September. Continue reading
Oct 28 U.S. attempted to lure Maduro's pilot into betraying the Venezuelan leader By Joshua Goodman, Associated Press A federal agent had a daring plan: persuade Nicolas Maduro's chief pilot to surreptitiously divert the Venezuelan president’s plane to a place where U.S. authorities could nab the strongman. Continue reading
Oct 28 U.S. launches strikes on 4 alleged drug-running boats in the eastern Pacific, killing 14 By Konstantin Toropin, Associated Press Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Tuesday that the U.S. military has carried out strikes in the eastern Pacific Ocean on four boats accused of carrying drugs, killing 14 people and leaving one survivor in the deadliest single day since the… Continue reading
Oct 27 Venezuela moves to cancel energy agreements with Trinidad after U.S. warship arrives at island nation By Jorge Rueda, Associated Press Venezuela’s vice president said Monday that energy agreements with Trinidad and Tobago should be canceled over what she described as “hostile” actions by the island nation. Continue reading