Venezuelan media: Boat bombed by US was headed to Trinidad

VENEZUELAN media outlet El Pitazo is reporting that the boat the United States bombed in the Caribbean was bound for Trinidad and Tobago.

On September 2, the vessel left the coastal town of San Juan de Unare, Sucre state, Venezuela, when it was attacked in international waters.

El Pitazo reported there were 11 men on board. Eight were from Unare and three from nearby towns.

The boat was a "flipper" measuring about 12 meters in length, equipped with four 200-horsepower engines.

It was built to travel at high speed and transport illegal cargo across the Caribbean.

The vessel carried satellite positioning equipment (GPS) and basic supplies for the journey.

According to El Pitazo, one of the crew members was the son of the boat’s owner, known in the region for organising these routes.

The report noted the trip was planned, with reference points already set towards the coast of TT.

Residents of Unare told El Pitazo many of the crew members were young men known in the community.

They also indicated recruitment for these trips is frequent in the area, where gangs control the drug trade and offer money to those willing to man the boats.

After the attack, members of the Venezuelan National Guard were deployed in Unare. Locals recalled the area has a long history tied to drug trafficking and violence.

In 2018, the so-called "Unare and Galdonas massacre" left more than 70 dead.

Since 2006, criminal gangs have dominated the drug routes from that region to the Caribbean, with little presence of the Venezuelan state.

The bombing was confirmed by the US government.

US President Donald Trump described the occupants as "narco-terrorists" and released a video of the attack.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the operation and said intercepting shipments is no longer enough: "We destroyed it and we will do it again."

TT Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar supported the attack. She stated the country has suffered violence linked to cartels and Washington’s actions send a strong message of deterrence.

The Sucre-Caribbean route has been identified by security agencies as one of the most active corridors for drug trafficking.