The US military carried out its 21st strike on an alleged drug-trafficking vessel, killing three people in international waters, amid escalating tensions with Venezuela, US Southern Command confirmed on November 16.
The operation marks the latest in a series of US strikes targeting suspected narcotics-smuggling vessels, bringing the reported death toll in the campaign to 83, as Washington expands its military presence near the Caribbean country.
The escalating campaign comes as President Donald Trump said that the US “may be having some discussions” with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Indeed, deadly strikes carried out by US forces on boats in the Caribbean Sea have caused tensions between both countries to escalate considerably. The Americans targeted vessels they say were carrying drugs, and which President Trump said departed from the South American country en route to the US.
The incidents have ramped up the pressure on Maduro, and even raised suspicions that Washington is attempting to topple the regime in Caracas. So, what exactly happened off the coast of Venezuela, and is the US really thinking about regime change?
Click through for an account of the incidents and a brief history of the often fraught relationship between the United States and Venezuela.