Venezuelan Fishermen Fearing U.S. Strikes Amid Escalating Tensions

Sat Oct 18 2025 10:45:46 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

As U.S. military operations targeting suspected narco-traffickers escalate in the Caribbean, Venezuelan fishermen express rising fears for their safety, raising concerns over potential unintended strikes.

The ongoing U.S. military operations in the Caribbean, aimed at drug traffickers allegedly linked to the Venezuelan government, have instilled fear among local fishermen. Many, like Wilder Fernández, have expressed concerns over their safety while pursuing their livelihoods amid the threat of strikes. Despite being warned by the U.S. of their targets in the region, the lack of concrete evidence and potential legal implications of these actions only add to the apprehension felt by the community. Venezuelan officials, including President Maduro, have condemned the U.S.'s actions, framing them as an illegal intervention, while local fishermen rally their efforts to protect their rights and safety at sea.

Wilder Fernández has caught four good-sized fish in the murky waters of a small bay north of Lake Maracaibo. The contents of his net will serve as dinner for his small team before they set out to go fishing again in the evening. But this daily task is a job he has recently become scared of doing.

After 13 years as a fisherman, Mr. Fernández confesses that he now fears his job could turn lethal. He is afraid he could die in these waters not at the hands of a night-time attacker - a threat fishermen like him encountered in the past - but rather, killed in a strike launched by a foreign power.

It's crazy, man, he says of the deployment of U.S. warships, fighter jets, a submarine and thousands of U.S. troops in waters north of Venezuela's coast.

The U.S. force patrolling in the Caribbean is part of a military operation targeting suspected narco-terrorists which, according to the White House, have links to the Venezuelan government led by Nicolás Maduro. Since last month, the U.S. has conducted at least six strikes on suspected drug-carrying boats in the Caribbean, with the latest being carried out on Thursday. At least 27 people have been killed, but Thursday's strike appeared to be the first to have survivors aboard the boat.

The U.S. has accused those killed of smuggling drugs but has so far not presented any evidence. Experts have suggested the strikes could be illegal under international law.

Tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela escalated further on Wednesday when U.S. President Donald Trump said he was considering strikes on Venezuelan soil. He also confirmed that he had authorized the CIA to carry out covert operations inside Venezuela.

Mr. Fernández is acutely aware of the risks and recently saw increased anxiety in his wife, who urges him to leave his fishing job. She tells me to look for another job, but there's nowhere to go, he explains. He does not rule out that his boat could be hit by mistake.

Venezuelan officials, including President Maduro, have condemned the U.S. actions, labeling them illegal interventions while the local fishing community is caught in the crossfire of escalating geopolitical tensions.