The Venezuelan authorities accused U.S. personnel of boarding and occupying a civilian fishing boat on Friday, within the newest instance of tensions because the U.S. carries out “counter narco-terror operations” within the Caribbean.
A U.S. official informed ABC Information that Coast Guard personnel stationed aboard the U.S. Navy destroyer USS Jason Dunham searched the fishing boat for medicine following a tip however didn’t find any contraband.
Venezuela’s Overseas Ministry workplace claimed Saturday that the U.S. Navy deployed “eighteen personnel with long-range weapons who boarded and occupied” the Venezuelan fishing vessel in waters inside Venezuela’s Unique Financial Zone (EEZ).
A drone view reveals the U.S. Navy guided missile destroyer USS Jason Dunham (DDG-109) because it docks in Ponce, Puerto Rico, September 6, 2025.
Ricardo Arduengo/Reuters
“This operation lacks any strategic proportionality and constitutes a direct provocation via the unlawful use of extreme navy means,” the overseas ministry mentioned in an announcement.
A U.S. official with information of the incident confirmed to ABC Information that the Jason Dunham obtained info to board the Venezuelan small craft to see if it was carrying medicine.
The legislation enforcement detachment aboard the destroyer boarded the Venezuelan craft and carried out a search that turned up no medicine, in response to the official.
The U.S. official disputed claims from the Venezuelan overseas ministry that the search took eight hours and so they contended the boat was in worldwide waters.
Trump introduced earlier this month that he ordered extra navy presence within the ocean to sort out unlawful drug smuggling.
On Sept. 2, he introduced that the U.S. ordered a strike on an alleged drug boat that originated from South America and “positively recognized Tren de Aragua Narcoterrorists.” The president mentioned 11 alleged terrorists had been killed.
Earlier this month, the Pentagon mentioned two Venezuelan military aircraft flew close to the identical U.S. Navy vessel — the united statesJason Dunham — in worldwide waters in a “extremely provocative transfer” that it mentioned aimed to disrupt the U.S. operations.
