Donald Trump. Photo: Francis Chung / INSTARimages.com – INSTAR Images / Profimedia
US President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that he would continue attacks against drug cartels with “land” strikes, after several months of US bombing of maritime vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific.
“We will start ground attacks against the cartels. The cartels rule Mexico. It's very, very sad to see and watch what happened in this country,” said Donald Trump, in an interview for Fox News, according to News.ro.
The leader of the White House urged Mexico on Sunday to “come together” after months of pressure on its neighbor to the south regarding the fight against drug trafficking and the trade balance.
He said he had urged Claudia Sheinbaum, the Mexican president, to allow Washington to send US forces to fight drug cartels operating in Mexico, a proposal she had already rejected in the past, he said.
American forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife on Saturday, accused of “narco-terrorism” and importing “tons of cocaine” by American justice.
“The American continent belongs to the peoples of each country that makes it up,” Claudia Sheinbaum reacted after Maduro's kidnapping.
In recent months, the United States has deployed a major military presence in the Caribbean and bombed boats originating from Venezuela in the name of fighting drug trafficking, operations whose legality has been questioned by experts, NGOs and United Nations officials.
To date, the US administration has not presented evidence to prove that these boats are actually transporting drugs.
Recently, Trump stated that the United States destroyed a mooring area used by boats accused of participating in drug trafficking in Venezuela.
