Trump-Ordered Military Strike Kills 11 Venezuela-Linked Cartel Members

President Donald Trump has escalated U.S. military involvement in combating drug trafficking by authorizing a strike on a Venezuelan drug cartel vessel in the Caribbean, killing 11 suspected members of the Tren de Aragua gang. This unprecedented use of lethal military force against drug traffickers, labeled as terrorists by Trump, represents a shift from traditional law enforcement to wartime rules, raising significant legal and ethical concerns about due process and the use of military power in counterdrug efforts. The deployment of advanced military assets such as F-35 jets to Puerto Rico underscores the administration's aggressive approach, which has also been applied domestically in U.S. cities. Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum has expressed worries about threats to Mexican sovereignty amid increased U.S. military activity in the region, prompting diplomatic discussions emphasizing cooperation without undermining national sovereignty. Concurrently, local law enforcement continues to seize large quantities of narcotics linked to organized crime, highlighting the ongoing drug crisis that remains a central issue in upcoming gubernatorial races and political debates. The Trump administration maintains that its tough military stance sends a strong deterrent message to drug cartels, despite the controversy surrounding its legality and potential regional destabilization.