US Military Action in the Caribbean
Cecilia Fountain
3/28/26
On March 18th, the U.S. military struck an alleged drug trafficking boat in the Caribbean Sea killing four alleged “necro-terrorists”. The United State Southern commander in Latin America and the Caribbeans Is an unified combatant command responsible for military operations, security cooperation and disaster relief to Latin America and the Caribbean. This operation is responsible for the attack, announcing that it had conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by a necro- terrorist (also known as a narcotic trafficker who uses violence intimidation and Terror attacks to influence government police) organization. But the defense department framing the strike as an attack against cartels and necro-terrorists has provided little evidence on whether the vessels were actually transporting drugs. Also it’s unclear which terrorist group the military was referring to since the vessel was only operating on a known narco-trafficking route not actually operating or doing any drug smuggling.
But this isn’t the first time this has happened. The U.S. defense department began attacking alleged terrorists last September and with more than 45 strikes on alleged necro-terrorists this most recent strike brings the total number of deaths to at least 163 people who were alleged terrorists. But no U.S. military personnel were harmed. With the rest of the world, specifically the UN and Humanitarian Organizations calling out these killings as extrajudicial killings (which are unlawful intentional killings of individuals by government authority or agents without proper judicial process), the U.S. needs to take a step back and realize what it’s doing. 4 alleged necro-terrorists were killed and never had due process or ability to represent themselves in court; these killings are illegal.
Our president continues to argue that there is a need for government intervention for organizations bringing drugs into the country. Justifying the attacks as necessary escalations to stop the flow of drugs into the United States. Using this justification to attack Venezuela, the Caribbean and Iran. However, these attacks could dramatically expand the terrorist framework and lead to more violence. Rebranding transnational criminal organizations as foreign terrorist organizations the U.S. could use military force rather than law enforcement against suspected criminals expanding war on terror creating war in the Western Hemisphere.
Latin America does face inequality, violence, and unemployment from cartel and necro terrorists. which continues to shape the daily lives of millions. The U.S. does play a crucial role and helping these countries however the way the U.S. are approaching it is very harmful. Instead of just attacking through violence the U.S. needs to work with these countries to help prevent these organizations from going further.
https://thehill.com/policy/defense/5801028-us-military-strikes-caribbean-drug-boat/
/www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/25/latest-caribbean-strike-boat-four-killed
https://apnews.com/article/boat-strike-caribbean-drugs-trump-b95aed239fa1bee4d3f36a8eb8c26f21
https://afsc.org/news/5-things-know-about-us-attacks-caribbean-and-pacific