The US president stated that two “narcoterrorist” crew members from the vessel survived and were apprehended.
A video released by US President Donald Trump shows the US Navy engaging what he identified as a submarine in the Caribbean, suspected of transporting a substantial quantity of illegal narcotics.
Trump made the unclassified footage of the engagement public on his Truth Social platform on Saturday, following the announcement of the vessel’s destruction.
The US president characterized the craft as a “very large DRUG-CARRYING SUBMARINE,” asserting that it was “loaded up with mostly fentanyl and other illegal narcotics.”
The video shared by Trump depicts the vessel, operating deck awash (with its deck at or just below the waterline), taking a minimum of two impacts. Subsequent to the strike, the submarine seemingly lost propulsion and started to submerge.
Trump stated, “There were four known narcoterrorists on board the vessel. Two of the terrorists were killed. At least 25,000 Americans would die if I allowed this submarine to come ashore. The two surviving terrorists are being returned to their Countries of origin, Ecuador and Colombia, for detention and prosecution.”
Since September, the US military has targeted at least five surface vessels, alleging these boats were employed for drug trafficking by cartels reportedly operating out of Venezuela. Nevertheless, this submarine’s destruction marks the initial event where survivors were apprehended.
Washington has consistently charged Venezuela with supporting “narcoterrorists” and has imposed extensive sanctions on the nation. Additionally, the reward for details resulting in President Nicolas Maduro’s arrest was recently increased to $50 million.
Trump had previously acknowledged authorizing clandestine CIA activities within Venezuela but refrained from disclosing whether the ultimate objective was the overthrow or assassination of the nation’s left-wing head of state.
Maduro has consistently disavowed any connections to cartels, asserting that Washington aims to depose him. The Venezuelan government has pledged to resist any incursion, placing its forces on elevated alert following continuous US military operations in the eastern Caribbean.