After months of blowing up speedboats under unsubstantiated allegations that these were carrying narco-terrorists, and after an unprecedented military build-up in the region, the administration has been threatening land operations unless the Venezuelan president resigns.
The administration invoked the Foreign Enemy Act of 1798 to arbitrarily designate any group they dislike as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO) and used it to justify these attacks and extra-judiciary killings. The stated premise behind the attacks, to stop drug trafficking to the US, is demonstrably false. Fentanyl and cocaine do not originate in Venezuela; fentanyl comes through Mexico and cocaine through Colombia.
Furthermore, a US presidential pardon recently freed the ex-president of Honduras, a convicted drug lord who trafficked 400 tons of cocaine into the US.
We believe that destabilization and regime change is the goal, to impose friendly governments so that the United States can exploit the region for oil and other minerals, and thus benefit corporations allied with the US administration.
The United States has not declared war; thus, although the boat attacks are crimes, they are not war crimes. Under the US Constitution, Congress has the sole power to declare war. The administration has failed to request authorization for the use of military force against Venezuela and has not provided any credible justification for the extrajudicial killings. Instead, the administration refers to the victims as “enemy combatants” tying them to cartels designated as FTO without any proof. Even if these individuals were drug traffickers, this is not a crime punishable by death.
Senators Tim Kaine and Ron Paul have taken the lead in mobilizing Congress to rein in this administration. So far, the first two War Powers Resolution votes have failed, but on December 3rd, Senator Kaine refiled a Joint Resolution in the Senate after the growing US arsenal in the Caribbean and further crimes against speedboats. A joint resolution must be signed by the President and needs a supermajority of 60 votes to overcome the likely veto.
On the House side, Representatives McGovern, Massie and Castro introduced a Concurrent Resolution on December 2nd, which does not require the signature of the chief executive but also does not have the force of law. Specific dates for when a vote happens depend on leadership scheduling, but we expect ongoing debates and potential votes throughout late 2025 and into 2026.
Time is of the essence to save lives. With the situation constantly evolving and new reports coming out daily, we urge our Members of Congress to bring these resolutions to a vote. We invite you to join us in this Congressional action and the movement to stop the violence in the Caribbean and Pacific. Civil rights organizations are suing the administration and filed a freedom of information request to formally expose these probable crimes. Every letter and phone call contributes to the peace that we seek, let’s all keep the pressure mounting.
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Robert Fritsch (not verified)
Right out of square one, this administration has committed murder on the high seasand mayhem by acting as judge, jury and executioner as they bombed and rocketed suspicious boats below. The US Navy is complicit in this. That is a death penalty for drug running when proven when there is no provision for such. BUT, there is no probable cause for bombing these boats when they could be innocent fishermen. It should be noted that cocaine comes through Columbia and fentanyl comes through Mexico. At the time this extra judicial killing began, any drug cartel boats were operating on the Pacific side of Panama. This (Trump) Administration has flaunted US law since taking office the first time. Obviously, it continues to flaunt the law with a strategy of "overwhelming". Legality is not the issue with this indicted felon.
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