On Thursday, January 8, 2026, US President Donald Trump announced that the US would expand its war on drugs by launching land strikes against major cartels in Mexico. 🇲🇽💥
In an interview with Fox News, Trump said, "We've knocked out 97% of the drugs coming in by water, and we are gonna start now hitting land with regard to the cartels." This move follows a months-long naval operation targeting suspected trafficking vessels in the Caribbean Sea. 🚢🔍
Without offering many specifics, Trump warned that "the cartels are running Mexico," signaling a bold escalation in America's anti-drug strategy. Experts say land strikes could shift smuggling routes and spark new tensions along the US–Mexico border.
Meanwhile, the president also discussed recent US actions in Venezuela. Last week, US forces raided and detained Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife, flying them to New York to face drug trafficking charges. Trump told Fox News the US plans to extract "billions and billions" of dollars' worth of oil from Venezuela—potentially trillions—while US companies rebuild the country's oil sector. 🛢️📈
Looking ahead, Trump said he hopes to meet Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado in Washington next week, despite previously doubting her domestic support. He dismissed the chance of a near-term Venezuelan election, underscoring continued US influence in Caracas. 🤝
Vice President JD Vance added that ensuring Venezuelan stability and aligning the acting government with US interests is now part of his brief. Together, these moves mark a high-stakes chapter in US foreign policy, with implications for regional security and global energy markets.
For youth in South and Southeast Asia, these shifts remind us how US decisions reverberate globally—from drug supply chains to energy prices at local pumps. ⛽🌏
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
