President Donald Trump and top U.S. officials have repeatedly claimed that narco-terrorists operated boats traveling from Venezuela and carried deadly drugs to American communities. Since early September, the U.S. military has destroyed 17 vessels, killing more than 60 people. According to the Trump administration, these boat crews were dangerous cartel members and narco-terrorists.
Trump’s Claims of Narco-Terrorists and U.S. Strikes
The Pentagon confirmed through its intelligence that people on these Venezuelan boats were involved in drug operations and labeled them as “narco-terrorists.” The U.S. government has used this designation to justify military strikes on the vessels, portraying the crews as a serious threat to American communities.
President Trump has claimed that each boat destroyed prevented thousands of deaths from drug overdoses in the United States. According to the administration, these strikes were part of a broader effort to stop dangerous substances from reaching U.S. shores and to combat international drug trafficking.
But reporting by The Associated Press shows a more complex story. Many of the men killed were ordinary people from poor Venezuelan villages, taking part in smuggling to earn a living rather than as hardened cartel leaders. While some transported drugs, most were not the “narco-terrorists” the government described. Their personal lives and struggles reveal a much more human side behind the U.S. strikes.
Who Were the Men Labeled as Narco-Terrorists?
The AP traced the identities of several men killed in the strikes. Their lives were far from the powerful criminal masterminds Trump described. They included a fisherman, a bus driver, a former military cadet, and a small-time career criminal. Most were from small coastal villages on Venezuela’s Paria Peninsula, a region where life is difficult and jobs are scarce.
One of the men, 42-year-old Robert Sánchez, was a fisherman earning only $100 a month. He dreamed of owning his own boat engine to operate independently but could not afford it. Financial pressures led him to guide traffickers’ boats through the tricky local waters, relying on the knowledge he had gained over decades of fishing. Sánchez left home, telling his mother he would return in a few days—but never did. Social media clips later confirmed his death.
Luis “Che” Martinez, 60, was a local crime boss who served jail time for human trafficking after a boat he operated capsized, killing two of his sons and a granddaughter. He contributed to local festivals and spent money in the community. U.S. forces killed Martinez in the first strike in early September, and relatives identified him by a photo showing his watch.
Two other men turned to smuggling out of necessity. Dushak Milovcic, 24, dropped out of Venezuela’s National Guard Academy and worked as a lookout before taking higher-paying boat roles. Juan Carlos “El Guaramero” Fuentes, a bus driver, joined after his vehicle broke down, as traffickers increasingly hired novices like him with no maritime experience.
Local Perspectives and Human Cost
Residents and relatives interviewed by the AP said that while some of the men had transported drugs, they were not cartel leaders or true narco-terrorists. Many were taking part in these operations for the first or second time. Each trip brought in about $500—far more than most could earn legally—but also tremendous risk.
Life on the Paria Peninsula is challenging. Most families live in simple cinderblock homes with unreliable electricity and limited access to water. Jobs are scarce, and the local economy has declined after the closure of several factories and public institutions. The sea offered a chance to earn money, but it also exposed the men to U.S. military strikes targeting alleged narco-terrorists.
Residents expressed fear and anger at the loss of their neighbors. They said the men could have faced legal consequences in the United States if intercepted, giving them a chance for a fair trial. Instead, they were killed instantly by missile strikes. Venezuelan officials condemned the attacks, calling them “extrajudicial executions,” and denied that drug traffickers operate within their borders.
Relatives struggled to piece together information about the deaths. Some found out through social media or by seeing photos of bodies washed ashore in nearby countries. They described a mix of grief, confusion, and frustration at having no official answers. One relative said, “I want an answer, but who can I ask? I can’t say anything.”
Summary of Findings
While the Trump administration labeled the boat crews as narco-terrorists and claimed each strike prevented thousands of American deaths, the reality is far more nuanced. The men killed were mostly ordinary people from poor coastal communities, drawn into illegal activity by economic pressures or small-time criminal ambitions. Only a few had any substantial criminal background. Many were inexperienced, earning modest sums for their dangerous work, and most were not part of large criminal organizations or drug cartels.
The AP’s investigation highlights the human cost behind these strikes and provides a more detailed understanding of who the men were. Residents and relatives described a stark contrast between the U.S. government’s narrative of narco-terrorists and the lived reality of the men who lost their lives.