CODEPINK Condemns Illegal U.S. Missile Strike Near Venezuelan Waters

CODEPINK fiercely condemns the illegal and reckless U.S. missile strike that killed 11 people on a vessel allegedly carrying drugs from Venezuela. Even if Washington’s claims are accurate, drug trafficking does not justify a death sentence delivered by missile. With the U.S. Southern Command assets already deployed in the region, why blow up a vessel instead of capturing and interrogating the crew? If the goal were really to uncover evidence of President Maduro’s alleged involvement, this reckless approach raises only two possibilities: either the narrative is fabricated and Washington used it as a pretext for a deadly show of force or it's real, and the U.S. chose extrajudicial killing over law, evidence and humanity.

International law is clear: the use of force is only lawful in self-defense or with explicit UN Security Council authorization. This strike had neither. It reflects the worst of U.S. militarism: secretive, unilateral, and contemptuous of due process, human rights and the rule of law.

Under U.S. law, it’s equally indefensible. The Constitution gives Congress, not the President, the power to authorize war. Unilateral action may only be used in emergencies or self-defense, and this strike meets neither.

Now the administration claims it can sink any vessel it “deems” tied to drug trafficking, without verifying, or following basic rules of engagement designed to protect civilians. Blowing up a boat at sea without verifying its cargo or sharing evidence shreds the rule of law, tramples human rights, and opens the door to catastrophic abuses. And while the White House wastes at least $7 million per day on reckless military operations, it slashes funding for the very things that could actually address drug addiction at home: healthcare, treatment programs, and education.

Once again, we see the U.S. president bypassing both Congress and the public, waging war from the shadows. We refuse to let Washington drag Latin America and the Caribbean back into an era of gunboat diplomacy and imperial control. The war machine must be stopped.

Like any nation, Venezuela has the right to sovereignty. The Caribbean has the right to peace. We demand an independent investigation, an end to U.S. military escalation in the region, and full accountability for any violations of international law.

The people demand peace, justice, and accountability, not missiles and lies.

CODEPINK is calling on Rep. Greg Casar, Chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, to lead the fight in Congress to stop this escalation. We call on him to introduce legislation to block unauthorized military force, hold hearings to expose the dangers of border militarization, insist on transparency of all relevant directives, and rally Congress to cut off funding for these reckless operations.

Hands off Venezuela. Hands off Latin America and the Caribbean.