The U.S. military struck a boat in the Caribbean for the sixth time yesterday, this one said to be a drug-smuggling semi-submersible and, for the first time, the U.S. Navy reportedly has in its custody two survivors, out of four people who were said to be aboard the vessel that the U.S. military destroyed on Oct. 16. President Donald Trump confirmed the strike during a White House press conference on Oct. 17, reported USNI News. According to a Reuters report, the survivors were picked up by helicopter after the strike and are being held on a U.S. Navy ship.
During his meeting with Ukrainian acting president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a reporter asked Trump about reports that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was offering major concessions to the U.S. on access to oil and other natural resources. Trump responded: “He has offered everything. You’re right. You know why? Because he doesn’t want to fuck around with the United States.” Financial Times explains: “Trump’s comments on Friday follow U.S. media reports that Venezuelan government officials, including Vice-President Delcy Rodríguez, have floated plans to Washington in which Maduro would eventually step down, as well as offering access to the country’s oil and mineral resources…. The Trump administration said it had rebuffed any overtures, while Rodríguez—rumored as a successor to Maduro should he immediately step aside—has denied the reports, characterizing them as part of a ‘psychological war’ against the Venezuelan people.”
The threat of some kind of military action by the U.S. against Venezuela continues to build, with reports this week of B-52’s flying over the Caribbean on Oct. 15 and the U.S. Army’s 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment conducting exercises on nearby islands. The 160th’s exercising suggests preparations for potential missions that could see U.S. boots on the ground, Mark Cancian, a senior adviser with the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told the Washington Post.
Meanwhile, Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) is planning to force a second vote in the Senate under the War Powers Act to block Trump from attacking Venezuela, reported NPR. Last week, Kaine and Sen. Adam Schiff (D-WA) forced a Senate vote to limit Trump’s war powers in the Caribbean. While that vote failed 48-51, two Republicans, Rand Paul of Kentucky and Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, joined Democrats in support. For the second vote—Kaine filed the motion on Thursday night, Oct. 16—Paul has joined as a co-sponsor. “The American people do not want to be dragged into endless war with Venezuela without public debate or a vote,” Paul said in a statement. “We ought to defend what the Constitution demands: deliberation before war.”
