The operation, called “Southern Spear,” is to “defend our homeland (the United States), remove narco-terrorists from our hemisphere, and protect our homeland from the drugs that are killing our people. The Western Hemisphere is America’s territory – and we will protect it,” the minister wrote, without giving any further details.
In recent months, the US has carried out repeated deadly attacks on boats in the Pacific Ocean and especially in the Caribbean Sea, including off the coast of Venezuela. Washington has accused the boats of being used to transport and smuggle drugs into the US.
Four US warships arrived in the region from Europe earlier this week on orders from Hegseth. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro responded by ordering the mobilization of nearly 200,000 troops.
Donald Trump recently gave the CIA the go-ahead to carry out covert operations inside Venezuela, part of the US's attempt to put pressure on Maduro.
