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The United States is stepping up what it's calling its counter-terrorism and counter-narcotics operation in the waters of Latin America.
Today the defence secretary, Pete Hegseth,
said that six male narco-terrorists had been killed in the latest US strike on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean,
the tenth known attack of its kind since September.
And the Pentagon has announced it is deploying the aircraft carrier Gerald Ford to the region.
as a warship named after a former Republican president prepares to set sail.
The current president, Donald Trump, is already on the warpath against regional leaders.
He is accused of facilitating the drugs trade or even being involved in it.
The Venezuelan leader, Nicolas Maduro, has been in Mr Trump's sights, but he's not alone.
Venezuela's neighbor, Colombia,
has traditionally been a key ally in the fight against illicit drug trade.
But its left-wing leader, Gustavo Petro, has fallen out with his American counterpart.
And in the past hour,
it's been announced that the United States is imposing sanctions on President Petro.
Well, this is what the US leader said about him two days ago.
Well, he's a thug and bad guy.
He's a guy that is making a lot of drugs.
We've just, as of today, stopped all payments going to Colombia.
No, he's a thug.