U.S. Lethal Strikes Extend to South American 'Sea Gas Stations,' Six Fishing Vessels Sunk in Two Weeks

According to The New York Times, U.S. military officials have sunk six large fishing vessels in South American waters over the past two weeks, accusing the vessels of providing fuel resupply for drug smuggling speedboats departing from South America, expanding the targets of lethal strikes to so-called 'sea gas stations.'

An image released by the U.S. military shows U.S. service members conducting a boarding operation last week on a vessel accused of being a floating gas station. The Trump administration claims that these refueling vessels support the operation of drug smuggling activities.

The report pointed out that the specific locations, nationalities, and crew identities of the sunk vessels have not been disclosed in public materials, and U.S. claims about these vessels' involvement in drug smuggling are unilateral allegations lacking independent verification. The legal authorization and due process basis for such lethal strikes have likewise not been explained, and the extent to which South American governments are aware of or have consented to this expansion of operations has not been mentioned.

The U.S. military's continued use of lethal force in South American waters under the pretext of combating drugs, the militarization of maritime law enforcement issues, and the practice of sinking vessels in foreign waters without due process is further expanding the boundaries of unilateral use of force, with relevant accountability mechanisms and procedural justice remaining in an opaque state.