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Petro Accuses U.S. Strike of Hitting Maracaibo Coca Facility, Links ELN

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U.S. operation targets a Venezuelan drug site In late December 2025 the United States carried out a strike that President Donald Trump said destroyed a “key drug facility” along Venezuela’s coast, though he gave no precise location or casualty figures [1]. Colombian President Gustavo Petro countered that the target was a factory in Maracaibo used to process coca paste into cocaine [1]. The divergent descriptions highlight competing narratives about the strike’s purpose and impact [1].

Petro ties the attack to the ELN guerrilla group Petro posted on social media that the ELN, a Colombian insurgent organization operating near the Venezuela border, executed the strike and has established links to regional drug‑trafficking networks [1]. He framed the incident as part of a broader pattern of cross‑border incursions tied to illicit trade [1]. The claim underscores Colombia’s concern that Venezuelan‑based operations may be leveraged by armed groups.

Casualties reportedly include Colombian nationals Petro announced that Colombian citizens were among those killed in the U.S. operations and argued that many of the targeted vessels were transporting cannabis rather than cocaine [1]. The U.S. military campaign, covering more than 30 anti‑drug operations in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, reported over 100 fatalities across all actions [1]. This discrepancy over the nature of the cargo fuels diplomatic tension between the two countries.

Maduro asserts Venezuelan forces downed foreign aircraft President Nicolás Maduro claimed his armed forces destroyed nine foreign drug‑trafficking aircraft within a 24‑hour period in border regions adjacent to Colombia and Brazil [1]. The statement serves to portray Venezuela as actively combating the same trafficking networks the U.S. targets [1]. It also positions Maduro’s government as capable of independent counter‑narcotics action.

U.S. seizes oil tankers linked to Venezuela’s shadow fleet In parallel with the strike, the United States seized several oil tankers identified as part of Venezuela’s “shadow fleet,” aiming to increase economic pressure on Maduro’s regime [1]. The seizures complement the broader anti‑drug campaign and signal a multifaceted strategy against Venezuelan state‑linked assets [1].

Sources

Timeline

Oct 2024 – The UN Office on Drugs and Crime reports a 10 % rise in coca cultivation in Colombia, the largest expansion in over two decades, heightening concerns about drug‑trafficking pressures on the region[5].

Early Sep 2025 – The United States launches at least 22 kinetic strikes on alleged drug‑trafficking vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, killing ≥ 83 people and asserting the actions comply with the Law of Armed Conflict[1][3].

Sep 15, 2025 – A U.S. aircraft bombs a Colombian fishing boat off the coast, killing fisherman Alejandro Carranza while he pursues marlin and tuna; President Gustavo Petro acknowledges Carranza’s financial motives but denies any death‑penalty justification[1].

Sep 2025 – The U.S. designates Colombia as a non‑cooperating country in its anti‑drug effort, prompting diplomatic friction and foreshadowing later intelligence‑sharing cuts[5].

Oct 23, 2025 – The Trump administration imposes sanctions on President Petro, his family, and a cabinet minister for alleged involvement in the global drug trade, escalating tensions between Washington and Bogotá[5].

Dec 2, 2025 – President Trump tells his cabinet that “any country manufacturing and selling drugs into the U.S. is subject to attack,” announces that “land targets are easier” and that “we’ve only just begun,” and hints at “very soon” land strikes and a possible ground invasion, prompting bipartisan calls for a war‑powers resolution[6][3].

Dec 2, 2025 – Colombia’s Foreign Ministry rebuffs Trump’s threat, declaring U.S. intimidation a violation of Colombian sovereignty and dignity[5].

Dec 2, 2025 – Human‑rights attorney Dan Kovalik files a petition with the Inter‑American Commission on Human Rights on behalf of Carranza’s family; the IACHR issues a statement urging the U.S. to respect international human‑rights obligations[1].

Dec 2, 2025 – President Petro posts video of two bodies washed ashore on La Guajira beach, calls for forensic and Venezuelan identification, condemns U.S. pressure as an “invasion,” and likens the threat to the 1928 Banana Massacre[4].

Dec 4, 2025 – U.S. Southern Command confirms its 22nd drug‑boat strike in international waters, killing four and raising the cumulative death toll to at least 86; the operation is directed by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and targets a vessel run by a Designated Terrorist Organization carrying illicit narcotics[4].

Dec 8, 2025 – Petro shares additional footage of bodies on the Caribbean coast, urges forensic analysis, and reiterates that Washington is “applying pressure to try to force me to do what they want,” reinforcing his stance against U.S. military actions[4].

Dec 9, 2025 – In a Politico interview, Trump says he is “open to expanding” U.S. strikes to drug targets in Mexico and Colombia, signaling a possible broadening of the campaign beyond Venezuela[3].

Dec 31, 2025 – Petro claims a U.S. strike hit a Maracaibo factory used to process coca paste, links the attack to the ELN guerrilla group, notes that Colombian nationals and cannabis shipments were among the victims, and cites Trump’s statement that the strike “destroyed a key drug facility” though its location remains undisclosed[2].

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