The United States military has announced that it has carried out a "deadly" attack on a ship in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, killing two people identified as being linked to drug trafficking activity.
According to the US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), the operation was based on intelligence that identified the vessel as part of known trafficking routes and involved in suspected criminal activity. The announcement was made on the social network X.
Military authorities say the attack was ordered by Francis L. Donovan, commander of SOUTHCOM, and carried out by Joint Task Force "Southern Spear", targeting a ship that, according to them, was operated by a declared terrorist organization.
"Two male individuals connected to drug trafficking were killed during this operation," the official statement said.
The operation is part of a broader intensified campaign in the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific against drug trafficking, launched since last September by the Donald Trump administration. According to authorities, the number of people killed in these operations has reached at least 163.
However, these actions have drawn criticism from various organizations and analysts, who describe them as quick extrajudicial executions, arguing that the targeted individuals have no opportunity to face justice or prove their innocence. Critics also question the sustainability of anti-drug policies, citing the US president's pardons of some convicted drug traffickers.
