United States President Donald Trump has indicated that his administration is considering an expansion of military operations against drug cartels to include land-based targets, following ongoing maritime strikes in the eastern Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.
Speaking in an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity on Thursday night, Trump said the United States was prepared to begin targeting cartel infrastructure on land, citing what he described as the extensive control criminal groups have gained in parts of Mexico.
“We are going to start hitting land with regard to the cartels,” Trump said.
His remarks follow the surprise capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro last weekend, an operation that came after months of sustained U.S. military and economic pressure on Venezuela. As part of the broader anti-narcotics campaign, U.S. forces have reportedly carried out more than 100 strikes on suspected drug-trafficking vessels since September.
Trump also disclosed that U.S. forces recently conducted a land strike on a docking facility in Venezuela allegedly used by drug traffickers. He noted that extending similar operations into Mexico would represent a significant escalation of U.S. military involvement in the region.
The interim left-leaning government in Caracas has condemned the U.S. strikes, warning that they threaten regional stability. Meanwhile, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum pushed back against Washington’s rhetoric, stating that the Americas do not belong to any single power.
On Sunday, Trump said he had urged Sheinbaum to allow the deployment of U.S. troops to assist in combating drug cartels within Mexico. He acknowledged that such proposals had previously been rejected by the Mexican government.
The developments have heightened diplomatic tensions in the region, as concerns grow over the potential consequences of expanded U.S. military action in Latin America.
Source: Gistreel
.jpeg)
0 Comments