President Donald Trump has announced that the US plans to return two individuals who survived a military strike on what he deemed a 'drug-carrying submarine' to their home countries, Ecuador and Colombia.
Through a social media post, Trump noted that two others died in the US attack on the vessel, which he claims was confirmed by intelligence to be laden with primarily fentanyl and other illegal drugs.
This latest strike on a submarine represents at least the sixth US operation against vessels in the Caribbean Sea within a short span, with this being the first instance of reported survivors. Previous strikes have resulted in at least 27 casualties in the waters near Venezuela.
The survivors were reportedly rescued by a US military helicopter and later moved to a warship stationed in the Caribbean, according to unnamed US officials.
Trump's recent focus on military action corresponds with increased accusations against Venezuela regarding the country's involvement in drug trafficking. In response, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has charged Trump with intentions to make South America a 'colony' of the US.
Trump has justified the strikes as necessary measures against narcotrafficking, despite a lack of detailed evidence about the vessels or their occupants. His social media claim emphasized, 'It was my great honor to destroy a very large DRUG-CARRYING SUBMARINE that was navigating towards the United States on a well-known narcotrafficking transit route.'
He explicitly stated that the two surviving individuals are being sent back for 'detention and prosecution' in their respective nations. Notably, no US military personnel were injured during this operation.
On Friday, Trump elaborated on the nature of the submarine, suggesting it was specifically designed for the transportation of significant drug quantities, further asserting, 'This was not an innocent group of people.'
Human rights experts appointed by the UN have described these military actions as 'extrajudicial executions.' Trump has additionally revealed that he authorized the CIA to conduct covert operations in Venezuela and hinted at the possibility of strikes on Venezuelan territory.
Narco-subs, often homemade from fiberglass and plywood, have become prevalent in drug transportation due to their ability to evade detection and be sunk afterward. While the US and other coastal nations have successfully intercepted some of these submarines in the past, the current operations have heightened international scrutiny.
