US Bombs Another Boat in Latin America as It Continues Military Buildup

The US military has bombed another alleged drug boat in the waters of Latin America as it continues its military buildup in the region and pushes toward a potential war with Venezuela.

According to US Southern Command, the strike targeted a vessel in the Eastern Pacific Ocean and killed three “narco-terrorists,” a term the Trump administration uses to justify extra-judicial executions at sea for an alleged crime that doesn’t receive the death penalty in the United States. SOUTHCOM offered no evidence to back up its claim that the boat was carrying drugs.

Since early September, the US military has launched 21 such strikes, blowing up 22 boats, including 11 in the Caribbean and 11 in the Eastern Pacific. According to numbers released by the Trump administration, at least 82 people have been killed in the bombing campaign. The strikes are clearly illegal under US and international law, prompting close US allies to distance themselves from the campaign.