US Launches ‘Southern Spear’ Operation Against Drug Cartels
War Secretary Pete Hegseth announced a new military operation, Operation Southern Spear, aimed at combating drug cartels in the Western Hemisphere and addressing ongoing tensions with Venezuela.
The US Department of War has established a taskforce to fight ‘narco-terrorists’ and protect the homeland, as stated by Secretary Hegseth in a public announcement. This operation comes amid heightened hostilities with Venezuela and recent military actions targeting suspected cartel vessels in the Caribbean Sea. Since September, the US has reportedly destroyed at least 20 boats, with estimates of 80 fatalities.
President Donald Trump’s administration has faced growing criticisms for its approach to drug trafficking and relations with Venezuela. The US has imposed stringent sanctions on Caracas, including a $50 million bounty on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Recently, the aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford has been deployed to the region, drawing a military response from Venezuela, which put its army on alert.
Maduro has denied any involvement in drug trafficking and warned of a potential ‘crazy war.’ He accused Trump of using the cartels as a pretext to undermine his government. Meanwhile, military officials have presented President Trump with potential strategies for action against Venezuela, indicating a complex and tense geopolitical situation.