According to Southcom, the US military’s central command in the region, the boat was involved in drug trafficking. It is the 21st time that the US military has attacked a suspected drug boat in the region since early September. The attacks have killed more than 80 people, according to Pentagon figures.
On Sunday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the US wants to designate a Venezuelan cartel as a terrorist organization. The US accuses Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro of leading this Cartel de los Soles. Maduro denies US accusations that he is a drug lord.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that talks with Maduro are a possibility. Trump told reporters that he has not yet made a decision, but that the Venezuelan government wants to talk to the US. “We’ll see how that goes,” Trump said.