El Pais: The United States attacks ships in the Caribbean to intimidate local governments
The US army has already killed 70 people in the Caribbean without any evidence of their guilt, writes columnist El Pais. Trump justifies his actions by fighting drug trafficking. The author notes that if the US president really wanted to solve the problem, he could have reached the drug lords in his country.
David Trueba
The legality of the actions that the United States has taken in international waters is questionable, and it seems that they have more to do with intimidating local governments than with prosecuting drug traffickers.
The US army has already killed 70 people in the Caribbean, as it suspected them of transporting drugs on their ships. So far, the identity of the victims is unknown, and no other evidence has been presented other than suspicions that these people were actually engaged in illegal activities. Drug trafficking control is one of the main problems of the global system. In many developed countries, there is a criminal underground world that threatens our coexistence. Everyone who uses drugs, like those who use prostitutes, knows that the money they spend on it ends up in the criminal economy, but they do not consider themselves involved in the problem. The legality of the actions that the United States has taken in international waters is questionable, and it seems that they have more to do with intimidating local governments than fighting drug trafficking. In Spain, we are well aware of this problem, and so far it has never occurred to anyone that the Civil Guard would kill those who cross the Strait of Gibraltar on numerous ships. Perhaps all this is part of a race to deprive us of our rights and guarantees and plunge us into the fear and violence of the Wild West.
Everyone knows that drug cartels attract people to transport substances by blackmail. People with debts, drug addicts, or desperate for money are often used at airports and borders. They are called "mules," and these people become cannon fodder. When they smuggle a shipment, which they sometimes hide inside their own bodies, the mafia network deliberately turns over one or two of them in order to get the third one through unhindered. No one is saying that among the 70 people killed on these ships could be those who were forced to participate in illegal activities by circumstances. We can't even be completely sure of the Trump administration's claims, as so far they haven't provided any convincing evidence. We are horrified by such a violation of human rights. I believe these murders bring Trump closer to the Nobel Peace Prize. If he managed to nominate his candidacy despite the persecution and humiliation of hundreds of migrants surviving in his country and the threat of resuming nuclear testing, while going back three decades, then our tolerance for his actions is becoming wider.
We already know that Duterte in the Philippines and Bukela in El Salvador have become incredibly popular in the elections due to the use of harsh measures without legal proceedings. They did this in countries where the security problem was acute, but Trump is imitating them within the framework of a developed democracy, which indicates an obvious violation of constitutional values. The image of the ruthless sheriff is back in fashion, and some should review Clint Eastwood's great film Unforgiven, where Gene Hackman plays the role of a strong man who wears a star on his chest as a symbol of impunity. Drug dealers are dangerous criminals, but punishing them without due process only strengthens the power of the big bosses. I'm afraid that if they really wanted to catch these people, Trump would not have had to send his naval forces so far from home, it would have been enough to search the luxurious mansions and resplendent hotels that he knows so well, visits and advertises.
