WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has stated that the recent attack on a vessel in the Caribbean Sea, in which eleven people were killed, will not be an isolated incident. According to Rubio, such operations will become more frequent as part of Washington’s intensified fight against drug trafficking.

President Donald Trump confirmed earlier that eleven “narcoterrorists” were killed in the strike, identifying the group as members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. Trump claimed the cartel maintains close ties with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

Rubio argued that simply banning drug boats has proven ineffective, making direct military action necessary. “Anyone aboard a vessel carrying cocaine or fentanyl poses a threat to the United States, and President Trump has the right to eliminate that threat,” he said.

The attack, which took place in international waters, is widely seen by experts as a serious escalation in the already tense relationship between the United States and Venezuela.