President Trump claims that attacks on ships in the Latin American region have stopped 85% of drug shipments to the United States by sea.
Published November 28, 2025
US President Donald Trump has said the US will begin targeting drug trafficking in Venezuela “by land”, amid a recent escalation of tensions with Caracas, which has accused the US of plotting to overthrow Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
President Trump’s announcement on Thursday comes after weeks of U.S. military deployments to the Latin American region, including aircraft carrier groups, stealth fighter jets and thousands of troops, as Washington’s attacks on so-called drug-trafficking ships have left dozens dead in international waters.
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“You are the very backbone of America’s air power, and you have worked hard in recent weeks to stop numerous Venezuelan drug traffickers,” President Trump said in a video address to U.S. troops over the Thanksgiving holiday season.
“Of course, not that many people come by sea anymore,” Trump said. “People don’t want to deliver by sea, so we will start to stop delivering by land as well.
“Land is easier, but it will start soon. We warned them: Stop sending poison into our country.”
“But we are going to deal with this situation. We are already doing a lot. We are almost interdicted. About 85 percent interdicted at sea,” the US president added.
Since September, the U.S. military has carried out more than 20 attacks on ships in the Caribbean and Pacific Ocean, killing at least 83 people. Latin American legal experts and governments have labeled the attack an extrajudicial killing.
The U.S. government has not provided any evidence to support claims that the vessels attacked were involved in drug trafficking, and regional leaders say the attacks mainly killed fishermen.
President Trump had previously warned of possible military action against locations in Venezuela, alleging that President Maduro and Venezuelan government officials were involved in drug trafficking.
Caracas officials say the United States is using drug trafficking as a pretext to launch military action to overthrow Maduro’s government and carry out “regime change” in Venezuela.
President Maduro said in a speech Thursday that Venezuelans will not be intimidated, despite weeks of threats by the United States.
“For 17 weeks, foreign and imperialist powers have been threatening to destroy peace in the Caribbean, South America, and Venezuela based on false and extravagant arguments that no one believes in American public opinion, world opinion, or even the powerful Venezuelan public opinion,” he said.
“Today I say that there is no threat or aggression in Venezuela that should frighten or alarm our people,” Maduro said in a speech broadcast on state television.
“Our people have prepared with unflinching equanimity to defend our homeland, our soil, our seas, our skies, our souls and our history,” he added.
