Venezuela Denies U.S. Boat Strike Claims

Venezuelan officials pushed back Thursday against U.S. claims surrounding a military strike on a boat in the Caribbean that killed 11 people last week.

Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said none of the victims were linked to the notorious Venezuelan gang Tren de Araguaor to drug trafficking, directly disputing U.S. assertions. “A murder has been committed against a group of citizens using lethal force,” Cabello said on state television, questioning why the individuals were not arrested instead.

The Pentagon has not released further details, despite pressure from U.S. lawmakers for justification of the action. The Trump administration maintains the strike targeted drug smuggling operations but has offered limited evidence.

At the same time, President Nicolás Maduro announced the deployment of military, police, and civilian forces at 284 “battlefront” points across Venezuela. The move comes amid heightened tensions with Washington, which has increased its Caribbean military presence and stationed F-35 fighter jets in Puerto Rico.

Maduro, long accused by the U.S. of ties to drug trafficking—a charge he denies—warned that Venezuela is prepared for armed conflict if necessary.

Source: Reuters