The U.S. military has been conducting operations at sea. These operations target suspected drug traffickers. The mission started under the Trump administration. Its goal was to stop drugs coming from Venezuela. The U.S. Southern Command has carried out many attacks. These happened in the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean. Sadly, many people have died.
Recently, an operation off Trinidad has caused concern. Lawmakers are asking difficult questions. They saw video footage of a deadly event. The video showed a second attack. This attack happened about an hour after the first. It killed two survivors. These people were in the water. They appeared unarmed. They were also not wearing shirts.
This has made politicians worried. One representative said the video was very unsettling. He has served for many years. Other politicians share his concern. They want to know if using deadly force was legal. This is especially true for people who could not fight back.
The military says the people killed were "narco-terrorists." They believe the attacks are legal. They are part of stopping drug smuggling. However, some experts disagree. They say these killings may be against international law. An investigation is now happening in Congress. It is to understand if the rules of war were followed.