Trump declares US at war with cartels after attacks off the coast of Venezuela.
The measure paves the way for the country to treat cartels as "non-state terrorist organizations" responsible for "armed attacks against the United States."
247 - An internal document obtained by Reuters revealed on Thursday (2) that US President Donald Trump has determined that the country is involved in a “non-international armed conflict” against drug cartels. The justification was sent to Congress to explain the legality of recent military attacks against vessels suspected of drug trafficking off the coast of Venezuela.
According to the agency, U.S. forces destroyed at least three boats last month, resulting in the deaths of 17 people. The text describes the dead as "illegal combatants," but legal experts question the validity of this interpretation and warn of the possibility of violations of international law.
Questions about legality
The measure paves the way for Trump to treat the cartels as "non-state terrorist organizations" responsible for "armed attacks against the United States." The president reportedly instructed the "War Department"—his preferred term for the Department of Defense—to conduct operations based on the law of armed conflict.
Legal experts, however, argue that labeling the cartels in this way does not automatically grant the president or the armed forces the power to carry out summary executions. “Applying a new label to an old problem doesn’t transform the problem itself – nor does it grant the US president or the military expanded legal authority to kill civilians,” wrote Mark Nevitt, a former Navy lawyer and law professor at Emory University.
There is also criticism regarding the fact that the operations were conducted by the Armed Forces instead of the Coast Guard, the body legally responsible for maritime patrolling.
Escalation and new threats
The document does not clarify whether Trump's decision refers only to actions already taken or if it prepares the ground for new offensives. On Tuesday (30), the president even declared that he is also considering attacking cartels "that arrive by land" in Venezuela — a move that would further amplify legal controversies.
During a meeting with generals and admirals in Quantico, Virginia, Trump defended the operations, claiming that each destroyed boat carried narcotics “enough to kill 25 people.” The president also stated that the naval offensive had drastically reduced the flow of vessels, including fishing boats, in the Caribbean.
Reactions in Congress
The revelation provoked immediate criticism in the U.S. Congress. Senator Jack Reed, a Democrat from Rhode Island and member of the Armed Services Committee, said the government had not presented any credible justification or intelligence evidence to support the attacks.
"All Americans should be alarmed that their president has decided he can wage secret wars against anyone he calls an enemy," Reed said in a statement.
