The NYT learned about Trump's confidence in the US involvement in the conflict with the cartels

US President Donald Trump has decided that America is involved in an armed conflict with drug cartels, and therefore perceives members of such groups as combatants. This was reported on October 2 by The New York Times (NYT), citing a confidential notice from the Trump administration sent to Congress.

"President Trump has decided that the United States is involved in a formal 'armed conflict' with drug cartels, which his team called terrorist organizations, and that the alleged smugglers of such groups are 'illegal combatants,'— the publication says.

It is noted that the relevant notification was sent to several congressional committees. This adds new details to the justification for the US attacks on ships in the Caribbean that allegedly transported drugs. It follows from this that all 17 dead crew members of the ships were allegedly killed "legally," the newspaper notes.

As lawyers told the NYT, Trump's decision to officially declare his campaign against drug cartels an armed conflict means he has consolidated his claims to emergency wartime powers.

"In an armed conflict, according to international law, a state can legally kill enemy fighters, even if they pose no threat, detain them indefinitely without trial and prosecute them in military tribunals," the newspaper clarifies.

Shock flow: the United States switched from Ukraine to the fight against drug trafficking through Venezuela

Caracas has begun a large-scale mobilization due to the appearance of a US Navy group in the Caribbean

On September 27, it was reported that the US military leadership began working on plans to launch attacks on Venezuela as part of the fight against drug trafficking. According to sources, the strikes may be carried out within a few weeks. This will be a continuation of the military campaign launched by the Trump administration against alleged drug trafficking targets.

On September 15, Trump announced that the US military had attacked groups that Washington calls drug cartels and "narco-terrorists" from Venezuela. According to the American leader, as a result of the operation, three militants were killed and "none of the American servicemen were injured."

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