Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday defended a recent presidential strike targeting a drug cartel-operated vessel off the coast of Venezuela and pledged that the U.S. would no longer passively observe “narco-terrorism.”
Responding to inquiries about the Marine strike on Tuesday, which hit a vessel in the southern Caribbean Sea reportedly carrying members of the Tren de Aragua engaged in smuggling narcotics bound for the U.S., Rubio stated, “We are no longer going to stand by and watch these individuals traverse the Caribbean as if on a pleasure cruise.”
The operation reportedly resulted in the deaths of 11 members of the group—which was designated a terrorist organization in February—and marked a departure from the U.S.’s previous “seize and apprehend” policy when confronting international gang networks.
“The President of the United States has determined that narco-terrorist organizations pose a significant threat to the national security of the United States. I believe the reasons for this are self-evident,” Rubio said, pointing out that the group is known to traffic not only drugs, but also weapons and people.
“These are not mere stockbrokers. These are not real estate agents who occasionally deal drugs. These are organized, corporate, and structured organizations specializing in the trafficking of deadly drugs into the United States of America,” Rubio asserted. “They pose an immediate threat to the United States. Full stop.”
While speaking to reporters from Mexico, where he was also negotiating counter-arms and narcotics agreements, Rubio argued that the earlier policy of “seize and apprehend” had proven ineffective.
“Because these drug cartels understand they will incur a 2% loss of their cargo—they factor that into their business model,” he explained. “What will stop them is when you eliminate them, when you destroy them.”
The Secretary further noted that armed groups appear to be acquiring unconventional weaponry, including drones, and continue to represent an increasingly serious danger to international security.
“We are growing more concerned that these cartels are now in possession not just of landmines and grenades. We are now observing the deployment of drone technology by narco-terrorist groups,” he added, mentioning their use to threaten security forces in neighboring states like Colombia.
Rubio confirmed that the strategy employed on Tuesday will be the ongoing approach for the U.S. to counter international narcotics and arms smuggling.
“It will happen again. Perhaps it is happening right now, I do not know. But the essential point is that the President of the United States intends to wage war on narco-terrorist organizations,” Rubio concluded.