U.S. carries out 35th strike on alleged drug boat, first since Maduro capture

Washington — The United States carried out another strike on an alleged drug-smuggling boat in the eastern Pacific Ocean on Friday, the first since the U.S captured former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. 

The strike — the 35th since Sept. 2, 2025 — killed two people and left one survivor, according to U.S. Southern Command.

“Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations,” Southern Command said.

The military said the U.S. Coast Guard was notified to conduct a search-and-rescue mission for the survivor. 

The last strike was carried out on Dec. 31, just days before Maduro was captured and brought to the U.S. to face narco-terrorism charges. The Trump administration has accused Maduro of drug trafficking and working with gangs designated by the U.S. as terrorist organizations, which Maduro denies.

Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, pleaded not guilty earlier this month to federal drug trafficking and weapons charges.

About a week after Maduro’s extraction from Venezuela, President Trump announced he had called off a “second wave” of attacks, but naval forces in the region would “stay in place for safety and security purposes.” 

At the time, a Democratic-led war powers resolution related to Venezuela had gained enough Republican support to advance in the Senate. But the White House peeled off enough GOP support to kill it. 

On Thursday, the House narrowly defeated another Democratic-led war powers resolution in response to the military operation in Venezuela. 

Democrats have vowed to keep pressing the issue.