Latin America’s Disjointed Reaction to Trump’s Drug Boat War

Latin America’s Disjointed Reaction to Trump’s Drug Boat War

The region is facing historic levels of fragmentation, one expert said.

The USS Gravely is seen in the waters off of the Port of Spain. November 10, 2025, 3:46 PM Comment icon View Comments ( )

Given the messy history of U.S. intervention in Latin America and the Caribbean, one might assume that countries and people across the region are uniformly opposed to the Trump administration’s escalating war on alleged drug boats and the prospect of regime change in Venezuela. But the reality is far more nuanced and complicated.

The regional reaction to the military campaign—and the looming possibility of a U.S. operation against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro—has been disjointed, despite the rippling consequences of th