Part 5/11:
This tragedy is linked to the broader context of U.S. efforts to combat drug trafficking through military force. Specifically, a strike on a suspected drug-carrying submarine was announced earlier—President Donald Trump claimed that the vessel was loaded predominantly with fentanyl and other illegal drugs. The White House reported that this was at least the sixth such operation in recent weeks, which collectively resulted in the deaths of at least 27 individuals off the coast of Venezuela.