U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a hardened approach by the Trump administration toward drug cartels and foreign threats in the Western Hemisphere, pledging to protect American national security and economic interests—particularly in the resource-rich Caribbean region.
In a video posted Thursday on the State Department’s official Facebook page, Rubio named several transnational criminal organizations operating in the region, calling them “narco-terrorist groups” that are flooding the U.S. with what he described as “poison.” He emphasized that these groups use both international waters and airspace to transport illegal drugs, warning that “they will be confronted.”
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Rubio singled out the Cartel of the Suns—a shadowy network believed to be linked to elements of Venezuela’s military—and directly accused the Nicolás Maduro regime of functioning not as a legitimate government, but as a “criminal enterprise” masquerading as a sovereign authority.
“The Maduro regime is not a government,” Rubio said. “They are a criminal organization that has hijacked a nation, and they are now threatening U.S. companies lawfully operating in the region.”
His remarks follow a tense maritime incident earlier this year when a Venezuelan naval vessel approached the FPSO Prosperity, an ExxonMobil-operated oil production ship, in Guyana’s offshore Stabroek Block. Venezuelan forces claimed the ship was operating in “disputed international waters”—a reference to the ongoing territorial dispute between Guyana and Venezuela over the oil-rich Essequibo region. The case is currently before the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
The Stabroek Block, home to an estimated 11.6 billion barrels of oil equivalent, is operated by ExxonMobil (45%), with Hess (30%) and China’s CNOOC (25%) as partners. U.S. officials have expressed growing concern about the safety of these operations amid escalating threats from Caracas.
Rubio’s statement comes as the Trump administration intensifies its crackdown on Latin American drug cartels—an initiative the former president had prioritized during his previous term. Reuters recently reported that Washington has ordered a new deployment of military assets to the southern Caribbean Sea. The mission, aimed at countering both narco-trafficking and hostile actions from regional actors, is expected to unfold over several months.
According to sources familiar with the operation, the deployment includes P-8 reconnaissance aircraft, a warship, and at least one attack submarine. These forces will patrol international waters and airspace, serving both intelligence-gathering and potential offensive purposes. A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that targeted strikes remain an option if threats escalate.
“This is not just about drug trafficking—it’s about sovereignty, security, and lawfulness,” Rubio said, reiterating that President Trump has made it clear: any threat to U.S. national security will be met with force.
