The US sends the largest aircraft carrier to combat drug trafficking in Latin America

The aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford is considered “world-class” and touted by the US Navy as the largest warship ever built in the world.

Mexico City, October 24 (However).- The President Donald Trump ordered this Friday the shipment of aircraft carrier Gerald R. Fordhe mayor United States warship (EU), to the Caribbean to combat drug trafficking in Latin America.

“In support of the directive of the President to dismantle the Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs) and counteract the narcoterrorism in defense of the Patriahe Secretary of War has sent to Gerald R. Ford Aircraft Carrier Strike Group and to the embarked air wing of the aircraft carrier to the area of ​​responsibility (AOR) of the Southern Command of the United States (USSOUTHCOM). The increased presence of U.S. forces in the U.S. Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) area of ​​responsibility will strengthen the United States’ ability to detect, monitor, and dismantle illicit actors and activities that compromise the security and prosperity of the U.S. homeland and our security in the Western Hemisphere. These forces will strengthen and expand existing capabilities to dismantle drug trafficking and reduce and dismantle transnational organizations,” the Pentagon spokesperson wrote, Sean Parnell, on his X account.

STATEMENT:

In support of the President’s directive to dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs) and counter narco-terrorism in defense of the Homeland, the Secretary of War has directed the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group and embarked carrier air wing to the U.S.…

— Sean Parnell (@SeanParnellASW) October 24, 2025

The United States confirms another attack on a “drug boat”; there are six dead

As part of this US offensive strategy, the Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, announced this Friday a new attack in the waters of the Caribbean on an alleged “narco-boat” linked to the criminal organization Tren de Aragua, in which six crew members died.

“Overnight, at the direction of President Trump, the War Department conducted a lethal kinetic attack against a vessel operated by Tren de Aragua (TdA), a Designated Terrorist Organization (DTO), which smuggles narcotics in the Caribbean Sea. Our intelligence was aware that the vessel was involved in illicit narcotics smuggling, was transiting a known narcotics trafficking route, and was transporting narcotics. Six male narcoterrorists were on board during the attack, which took place in international waters and was the first nighttime attack. All six terrorists were killed and no US forces were injured in this attack. If you are a narcoterrorist trafficking drugs in our hemisphere, we will treat you like we treat Al-Qaeda. Day or night, we will map your networks, We will track your people, we will hunt you and kill you,” the official warned on his official X account.

The incident in which the six members of the “illegal” boat died was the first attack carried out under the cover of night since US offensive operations began in the Caribbean Sea, especially near the Venezuelan coast. As has been usual, the US authorities published the video in which the destruction of the “drug boat” can be seen.

Overnight, at the direction of President Trump, the Department of War carried out a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Tren de Aragua (TdA), a Designated Terrorist Organization (DTO), trafficking narcotics in the Caribbean Sea.

The vessel was known by our… pic.twitter.com/lVlw0FLBv4

— Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) October 24, 2025

These attacks have been widely criticized for being operations in which there is no type of legal order that authorizes them with due process to achieve an capture that does not involve fatalities.

The US authorities claim these attacks under the supposed motto of combating drug trafficking in the region and, thus, preventing drugs from reaching US territory and “killing American citizens.”

Human rights organizations have questioned the disproportionate nature of these actions, considering them summary executions that violate international law.

In this context, some 60 Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) sent a letter to the United States Congress to ask it to stop the military escalation of the Donald Trump Administration in the Caribbean and to express their “concern about the repeated extrajudicial executions of unidentified civilians.”

A situation that the UN itself supported, ensuring that “international law does not allow governments to directly assassinate alleged drug traffickers,” stressing that the alleged criminal activities they carried out should have been investigated and prosecuted in accordance with the Law.