At least one man died last Tuesday in the eastern Pacific when the American armed forces bombed a speedboat, according to their announcement, as they continue the series of air raids against seamen who are according to them used for drug trafficking, a campaign that is strongly contested and has cost life to over two hundred people to date.
The mixed command post of the American armed forces responsible for the Latin American and Caribbean region (SOUTHCOM, "south administration") reported via X that the speedboat destroyed yesterday "was engaged in drug trafficking operations".
On June 16, at the direction of #SOUTHCOM commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan, Joint Task Force Southern Spear produced a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designed Terrorist Organizations. Intelligence confirmed the vehicle was transiting along known... pic.twitter. com/UGBRt9Mbdm— U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) June 17, 2026
"Arren drug terrorist was killed during this action and there were two survivors," he continued, using his standard terminology for the operations of the species, filling that the US Coast Guard was notified "directly" in order to activate the "search and rescue system" to collect. He did not specify whether they were actually rescued.
He quoted a black and white "declassified" video quote, lasting 5 seconds, that immortalises the destruction of the speedboat.
The report of the victims of the bombings of the species has now exceeded 200, according to the French Agency's count based on American announcements since last autumn.
Washington has been conducting since September 2025 an air injury campaign targeting speedboats in the eastern Pacific and the Caribbean; it presents it as part of the "war" against a cartel dealing drugs from Latin America to the American market -- President Trump's government last year described various Latin-American gangs as "terrorist" organizations.
The government of American President Donald Trump however has never presented evidence that the vessels that entered the target were indeed involved in any illegal activity.
The legality of these injuries, in international or foreign territorial waters, is questioned. Experts, non-governmental organisations and UN officials denounce extrajudicial killings.