Caracas [Venezuela], October 20: The United States announced on October 19 that it had carried out another attack, this time targeting what it called a drug ship linked to leftist armed forces in Colombia, expanding its military campaign off the coast of South America.
In the attack carried out on October 17, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said that the US forces attacked a drug trafficking ship that he said was linked to the National Liberation Army of Colombia (ELN), a left-wing armed organization founded in 1964. According to AFP today, October 20, quoting the US Secretary, 3 members of the ship were killed.
Hegseth said the target was hit while moving in international waters under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM). The Pentagon leader did not specify the location of the ship. Colombia has coastlines that touch both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
Information about the attack was released in the context of US President Donald Trump announcing on October 19 that the Washington administration would end financial aid to Colombia, while accusing his counterpart Gustavo Petro of tolerating drug production.
On social media, Mr. Trump accused Mr. Petro of being a "drug lord" promoting widespread drug production throughout Colombia, and hinted at the possibility of intervention in Colombia, but did not specify what.
Responding angrily on X, Mr. Petro emphasized that Colombia has never behaved rudely towards the US, but Mr. Trump did so towards Colombia.
Last month, the US revoked Petro's visa after the Colombian leader spoke at a pro-Palestinian rally on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City.
Colombia is by far the largest recipient of US aid in South America, with $740 million in 2023 alone. Half of that aid is earmarked for combating drug trafficking.
Faced with these moves, US-Colombia relations have fallen to a new low.
The attack comes as the US has deployed several naval vessels to waters off Venezuela since August and has attacked at least six vessels that the Pentagon said were transporting drugs to the US, killing at least 27 people so far.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper
