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 instructed ABC Information that Coast Guard personnel stationed aboard the U.S. Navy destroyer USS Jason Dunham searched the fishing boat for medication following a tip however didn’t find any contraband.
Venezuela’s International 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 army 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 medication.
The regulation enforcement detachment aboard the destroyer boarded the Venezuelan craft and carried out a search that turned up no medication, in accordance with the official.
The U.S. official disputed claims from the Venezuelan overseas ministry that the search took eight hours they usually contended the boat was in worldwide waters.
Trump introduced earlier this month that he ordered extra army presence within the ocean to deal with 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 army plane flew close to the identical U.S. Navy vessel — the usJason Dunham — in worldwide waters in a “extremely provocative transfer” that it mentioned aimed to disrupt the U.S. operations.
