This week, the U.S. Marines carried out an unprecedented attack on a cartel-controlled vessel near Venezuela, indicating the Trump administration’s tougher stance on international drug trafficking.

Since the late 1980s, the U.S. military has actively combated cartel and gang operations, but the recent attack, which resulted in the death of 11 members of Tren de Aragua—recognized as a terrorist group by the Trump administration in February—marks a move away from traditional methods of seizing and arresting.

Isaias Medina, a former Venezuelan UN diplomat who now opposes the Nicholas Maduro regime, told Fox News Digital, “The gloves are off.” He asserted that the U.S. Marine action against the Tren de Aragua’s drug-smuggling vessel, allegedly operating under Maduro’s regime, represents a significant shift in fighting global organized crime.

Video footage showed the vessel shortly before it was destroyed off of Venezuela on Sept. 2, 2025. (@realDonaldTrump via Truth Social)

Medina pointed out that Maduro’s lack of action against international drug cartels facilitated Trump’s decisive measures. He also noted that the Marines adhered to strict engagement rules when targeting what was considered a terrorist group moving drugs towards the U.S.

“The Tren de Aragua, supported by Maduro, functions similarly to other state-backed terror organizations. Examples include Iran’s alliances with the Houthis, Hamas, and Hezbollah—all of which disrupt regions through illegal trade and violence,” Medina stated. He added that traffickers can no longer rely on international waters as safe havens.

“This strike sends a clear warning that those businesses now face decisive and powerful resistance from American forces and their allies,” he added. 

Despite Maduro’s suspicions that Trump’s end game is the ousting of his government, experts remain skeptical.