Washington, D.C. | December 4, 2025:
A major political and diplomatic controversy erupted after U.S. forces conducted precision drone strikes on two Venezuelan “coke boats” on December 3, killing four crew members and halting what the Pentagon alleges was a 2-ton cocaine shipment valued at $50 million. Critics labeled the action a “double-tap execution,” accusing the U.S. of violating due-process norms in international waters.
Drone footage, released by the Pentagon, shows the vessels being struck and two survivors later re-boarding to salvage narcotics—contradicting claims by Democratic lawmakers that the force used was excessive. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who briefed Congress, hailed the operation as a “clear win in the war on drugs,” citing authorization under President Donald Trump’s executive order aimed at accelerating counter-narcotics missions.
The strikes were carried out by U.S. Southern Command Special Forces, intensifying already fraught relations with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who accused Washington of “state piracy and extrajudicial aggression.” Former U.S. Ambassador James Story argued the episode reflects deeper strategic pressure on the Maduro government, stating it’s “about more than drugs—it’s leverage.”
U.S. domestic politics also ignited: Representatives Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib condemned the strike as “state-sponsored murder,” while Republican lawmakers praised the mission as overdue enforcement during a year when the opioid epidemic has claimed 100,000 American lives.
The controversy adds to calls for Hegseth’s removal after a Pentagon watchdog report suggested he may have leaked classified strike details via the Signal app, an allegation he denies. Meanwhile, Mexico’s Attorney General Ernestina Godoy has opened an inquiry into similar regional operations, signaling broader international concern.
Polling shows 60% of Americans support the strike, but global human rights groups have denounced it as “vigilantism disguised as counter-narcotics policy.” Analysts warn the incident could further strain U.S. relations with Latin American governments already wary of Washington’s renewed militarized approach under Trump.
