Venezuela Dismisses U.S. Accusation of Gang Ties in Caribbean Attack

(MENAFN) Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello rejected Thursday the claim that members of the Tren de Aragua gang were among the 11 people killed in a US strike on a boat in the Caribbean last week, a statement that directly contradicted US assertions.

"We have conducted our investigations here in our country, and there are the families of the disappeared people who want their relatives," Cabello said.

"When we asked in the towns, none were from Tren de Aragua, none were drug traffickers."

His comments came in response to US President Donald Trump, who had earlier stated that the boat was operated by the Tren de Aragua cartel and was transporting drugs to the United States. Cabello called the accusation "a tremendous falsehood, a tremendous lie," and condemned the attack as "a murder... against a group of citizens."

The US military recently intensified its presence in the Caribbean, deploying warships equipped with missiles, a nuclear-powered submarine near the Venezuelan coast, and 10 F-35 fighter jets to an air base in Puerto Rico. This escalation is part of an expanded operation targeting drug cartels in the region.

In a parallel move, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro issued a stern warning Thursday, declaring that anyone advocating for an invasion of Venezuela would face trial for treason. He reaffirmed that his government would engage in an "armed struggle" if attacked by the United States.

"Anyone who calls for bombing or invading the country is a traitor to the homeland and must be tried immediately, wherever they are," Maduro stated.

The president also announced Operation Independencia 200, a major military initiative involving 284 "battle fronts" across Venezuela. The operation includes the mobilization of ships, the enlistment of millions of militia members, and the bolstering of military forces in five coastal regions. Maduro emphasized that Venezuela would defend its sovereignty, vowing to ensure that "all coasts, from end to end, [are] free of imperialists, invaders, and violent groups."

“These seas, this land, these neighborhoods, these mountains, these vast expanses, and the riches of these lands belong to the people of Venezuela," Maduro declared. "They will never belong to the American empire."

MENAFN14092025000045017169ID1110058053