International Law & Security - The US Secretary of State met with G7 ministers to discuss tough issues facing the US and its closest trading partners [1] - Other leaders expressed concerns that US attacks near Venezuela against suspected drug traffickers violate international law [2] - A top minister representing European countries mentioned the need to change the law due to the impact of drug smuggling [2] - The US Secretary of State claims the issue of international law violations was not raised with him during the G7 meetings [3] Trade & Tariffs - The US Secretary of State was on the defensive about trade and erratic tariff policy during the G7 meeting [3]

US forces have carried out another strike on an alleged drug trafficking boat in the Caribbean this week, bringing the confirmed death toll from these strikes to nearly 70 people. But months into the operation, major questions remain unanswered. According to interviews by MSNBC with congressional officials, human rights monitors and journalists in the region, as many as 50 of those killed in US drone strikes across the Caribbean and Pacific remain publicly unidentified. We don't know their names. Their fami ...

President Trump's lethal strikes and military buildup are being felt all across Latin America. He's even promised to cut all military and financial support for Colombia, where troops like these have long been considered among the US's closest and most effective allies in the war on drugs. What do you, as the Minister of Defense here in Colombia, make of all of these these attacks on boats.From my view to defeat the drugs trafficking is necessary to affect all the chain of of the drugs I mean producers trans ...

The Senate is going to vote later today on a bipartisan bill to block the US US military from conducting strikes against Venezuela without approval from Congress. The administration so far has launched 16 strikes on boats in the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific, alleging without evidence that those boats were trafficking drugs to the United States. The US military is also building up forces in the waters off South America as the president considers strikes within Venezuela.A similar vote on a similar war power ...

The defense secretary said that two people were killed. Again, this is an argument the Trump administration has made. They allege that these are narco traffickants who are moving, they say again, alleged drugs from that area into the United States and that's why they've been arguing they need to continue to take them out.But lawmakers are really clamoring for more information. They want to know more about the intelligence that's leading to these decisions and why the president feels he has the authority to ...

Narco-sub carrying 1.7 tonnes of cocaine seized in Atlantic https://t.co/LBWbwmAG1u ...

Three killed in latest US strike on alleged drug boat in Caribbean https://t.co/K5J7Csfbap ...

Geopolitical Strategy & Objectives - The US administration's objective in Venezuela is unclear, potentially involving pressuring Maduro or addressing drug trafficking [2][3][5][8] - Military force is being considered, with potential special operations inside Venezuela, but the specific target remains uncertain [2] - The administration's strategy involves building pressure on Maduro, possibly to encourage him to disavow Russia, Iran, and China, or accept election results [3] Military Deployment & Capabilities - A US naval armada, including the USS Gerald Ford, is being assembled in the Caribbean [1][5] - While Venezuela possesses aircraft and anti-aircraft capabilities, the US military is confident in its ability to neutralize them [6][11][12][13] - Occupying Venezuela is deemed difficult due to its size, population, and widespread weapons distribution [7] Drug Interdiction & Legal Concerns - The focus on drug interdiction may be a public justification for other objectives [8] - The legality of destroying alleged drug boats is questioned, as it deviates from standard maritime procedures of seizure and investigation [15][16] - The administration lacks legal authorization to attack drug boats [16] International Relations & Policy - Concerns exist about the precedent set by the US action, particularly regarding potential actions by Russia or China in similar situations [19] - Bipartisan support in Congress is crucial for a strong American foreign policy [9][20] - The US Department of Defense has approved Tomahawk missiles for Ukraine, aiming to increase pressure on Putin and expedite the war's end [21]

The US has been conducting a number of strikes on alleged drug cartel boats in international waters. And when talking about it, President Donald Trump has said this. >> Every boat is saving 25,000 lives.And you can see it. The boats get hit and you see that fentinol all over the ocean. It's like floating in bags. It's all over the place.>> There have now been more than 10 strikes reported by the administration, which would add up to a quarter of a million Americans by the president's numbers. But it's not t ...

Drug trafficking down Brazil's Amazon has surged in recent years. This is because gangs have expanded into the Amazon and in response to increased surveillance along Brazil's southern border. In Arizona state, cocaine seizures have tripled in 2 years as the government increases river inspections.This is only a fraction of the amount of drugs coming down the river according to officials and experts. And this is because cocaine production in neighboring Colombia and Peru continues to break records and smuggle ...