- cross-posted to:
- politics@lemmy.world
- cross-posted to:
- politics@lemmy.world
Nine months into the Trump administration’s deadly campaign against so-called drug boats, there is a pattern to the strikes. And a glaring anomaly.
The U.S. military has conducted more than 60 attacks, resulting in over 200 extrajudicial killings in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean. In almost all the strikes, between one and four people lost their lives. In only one strike did the death toll of a single boat reach double digits: the first attack on September 2, 2025.
Since then, experts, lawmakers, and even military officials behind the scenes have been asking a simple but haunting question: Why was that boat packed with 11 people?
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You mean that blowing up suspected drug boats with no oversight or arrests or trials might have caused some innocent people to die?!?!? Wow I hope the trump administration feels bad and learns from this.
So, playing devil’s advocate, would you rather be killed instantly because you’re being human trafficked or let pass because it’s the middle of a “warzone” and you can’t be bothered because there are people with bigger weapons than human traffickers. So the people would make it to their destination and sold.
Personally I’d rather die, but that’s me. I have zero love for captain dipshit, but you don’t get it both ways simply because you don’t like him. It’s not as simple to do what you’re talking about. Not that it’s justification, but it’s just not as simple as you’re acting like it is.
I have a friend who escaped human trafficking, and whilst there were times that she came close to ending her own life to escape her situation, she is tremendously glad that she didn’t, because otherwise then her life would have been entirely defined by being a victim.
Last year marked the point at which she had been free for longer than she had been treated as property. It’s taken a lot of work for her to heal from the trauma of being trafficked, and certainly she was extremely lucky to be able to escape from that situation, but if we give up on trying to save people like her, then we’re just papering over one tragedy with another.
If I were being trafficked, I don’t know that I would’ve had the strength to endure as she has. However, I am certain that I would not want to be given up on.
Wow man, you’re one hell of a disgusting being. This isn’t 4chan, why don’t you take your ethics there and stop producing your typed diarrhea here?
If they didn’t want to get blown up, they shouldn’t have been captured and trafficked. Duh.
Missing /s?
No need to tag obvious sarcasm
With MAGA around one never knows. /s
With regards to “trafficking”:
https://globalsanctions.com/region/venezuela/
Venezuela At a glance There are no UN sanctions on Venezuela. The EU and UK have imposed sanctions on Venezuela since 2017. The US first imposed sanctions on Venezuela in 2005 in response to what the US said was Venezuela’s absence of cooperation with US anti-drug and counter-terrorism efforts. The US imposes sectoral sanctions related to transactions with the Venezuelan government and targeted sanctions on those involved in actions or policies undermining democratic processes or institutions.
Overview UN Sanctions
There are no UN sanctions on Venezuela.
EU Sanctions
In 2017 the EU adopted sanctions in response to the “deterioration of democracy, the rule of law and human rights” in Venezuela. These are still in place; an arms embargo, travel restrictions and asset freezing measures on those responsible for serious human rights violations or abuses or the repression of civil society and democratic opposition, and those whose actions, policies or activities otherwise undermine democracy or the rule of law in Venezuela by Council Regulation (EU) 2017/2063 and Council Decision (CFSP) 2017/2074.
UK Sanctions
UK sanctions are in the Venezuela (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 – an arms embargo, asset freezes, and travel bans.
US Sanctions
The US first imposed Venezuela sanctions in 2005 in response to Venezuela’s absence of cooperation with US anti-drug and counter-terrorism efforts. Since then, the US has made annual determinations that Venezuela has failed to adhere to its commitments under international narcotics and anti-terrorism agreements.
In 2015, the Obama administration issued EO 13692, which targets (for asset blocking and visa restrictions) people and entities involved in human rights abuses and corruption. Government figures including President Nicolás Maduro were sanctioned in 2017. The US issued further EOs in 2018 and 2019, which prohibited access to US financial markets and blocked the property and interests of the Maduro government in the United States and within the control of US persons. The US has issued various Venezuela-related licences and revoked licences enabling oil business in Venezuela in March 2025. Since April 2025, any country that imports Venezuelan oil may be subject to a 25% tariff on its exports to the US.
In December 2025, the US seized two oil tankers off the coast of Venezuela and ordered a blockade of sanctioned vessels travelling to/from Venezuela. In January 2026, Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were brought to the US to face narcoterrorism charges. 4 other people, including Mr Maduro’s wide and son, were also charged with similar offences.
