The US military killed four men aboard a boat in international waters near Venezuela, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced today. This was the first such strike since the Trump administration told Congress that the US was engaged in a formal “armed conflict” with Latin American cartels, The New York Times reports.
“Our intelligence, without a doubt, confirmed that this vessel was trafficking narcotics, the people onboard were narco-terrorists, and they were operating on a known narco-trafficking transit route,” Mr Hegseth wrote. “These strikes will continue until the attacks on the American people are over!!!!”
The legality of these strikes ordered by the Trump administration has been disputed, but the targeting of suspected, not convicted, drug runners in the Caribbean Sea continues.
Four people were killed in this attack, bringing to 21 the total number killed in these attacks aimed at stopping the flow of illegal drugs into the US.
The buildup of U.S. military forces in the Caribbean has had a significant psychological and practical impact on Venezuelan teenagers, according to the article, reports Allison M Riviere in the student newspaper at Hillsboro High School in Nashville, Tennessee. Several effects stand out:
(1) Fear and Anxiety
Teens in Venezuela are experiencing heightened fear. Social media is filled with rumors of war, which amplifies uncertainty. For one student in Caracas, the prospect of conflict is “terrifying” because it shifts attention away from school and future goals.
(2) Disruption of Daily Life and Education
Schools near the coast are already preparing backup plans in case of interruptions. Students and their families worry about shortages and potential displacement, adding stress to ordinary routines.
(3) Pressure and Vulnerability
Young people already coping with years of economic instability and migration crises now face additional burdens. Psychologists report that the tension deepens feelings of insecurity, especially among teens considering studying abroad or planning careers. There is also the fear of being pulled into community militias, as Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro, has repeatedly called on civilians to enlist.
(4) Desire for Stability
Across communities, teachers and parents emphasize that adolescents simply want normalcy and stability. Instead, the militarization of the coastline and warlike rhetoric make it difficult for teens to feel safe or concentrate on their studies.
Venezuelan teenagers are caught between geopolitical forces outside their control. The US military buildup has intensified their fears, disrupted their schooling and sense of stability, and deepened concerns about their immediate future and long-term opportunities.