# Mass murder on the high seas (Venezuelan "drug boat") **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 10, 2025, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-murder-on-the-high-seas-venezuelan-drug-boat/1022910 "2025-09-10T13:44:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Tatterdemalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/43a26b/32.png) [@Tatterdemalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tatterdemalion)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2025, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-murder-on-the-high-seas-venezuelan-drug-boat/1022910/141 "2025-11-01T16:31:44Z")
He wasn’t the first either. > **[William Walker (filibuster)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Walker_(filibuster))** > > William Walker (May 8, 1824 – September 12, 1860) was an American physician, lawyer, journalist, and mercenary. In the era of the expansion of the United States, driven by the doctrine of "manifest destiny", Walker organized unauthorized military expeditions into Mexico and Central America with the intention of establishing colonies. Such an enterprise was known at the time as "filibustering". > After settling in California, motivated by an earlier filibustering project of Gaston de Raousset-Bou... He came to a bad end. May it continue to be so. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2025, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-murder-on-the-high-seas-venezuelan-drug-boat/1022910/142 "2025-11-02T18:14:29Z")
It’s possible that the U.S. is planning to more than blow up a few drug boats in regards to Venezuela: > The United States military is upgrading a long-abandoned former Cold War naval base in the Caribbean, a Reuters visual investigation has found, suggesting preparations for sustained operations that could help support possible actions inside Venezuela. > > The construction activity at the former Roosevelt Roads naval base in Puerto Rico — shuttered by the Navy more than 20 years ago — was underway on September 17 when crews began clearing and repaving taxiways leading to the runway, according to photos taken by Reuters. > > Until the Navy withdrew from the facility in 2004, Roosevelt Roads was one of the biggest U.S. naval stations in the world. **How the US is preparing a military staging ground near Venezuela** [https://www.reuters.com/graphics/USA-CARIBBEAN/MILITARY-BUILDUP/egpbbnzyrpq/](https://www.reuters.com/graphics/USA-CARIBBEAN/MILITARY-BUILDUP/egpbbnzyrpq/) ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2025, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-murder-on-the-high-seas-venezuelan-drug-boat/1022910/143 "2025-11-02T18:30:35Z")
Aren’t these victims likely the Pope’s people? If he’s been vocal, I haven’t heard anything. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2025, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-murder-on-the-high-seas-venezuelan-drug-boat/1022910/144 "2025-11-02T18:34:21Z")
“a Reuters visual investigation” What, they drove up to the fence and looked? We all were seeing it for the past month here. The base was turned into a regional airport and ferry port, but the reserve units stayed right there after active component left, so it was relatively easy to stand back up. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2025, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-murder-on-the-high-seas-venezuelan-drug-boat/1022910/145 "2025-11-02T18:47:05Z")
I just went to my MAGAt senator’s web page and told her she was an accomplice to mass murder. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2025, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-murder-on-the-high-seas-venezuelan-drug-boat/1022910/146 "2025-11-02T20:13:06Z")
I’m sure she’s heartbroken, unless your senator is Susan Collins, in which case she is likely [mildly concerned](https://nbatitlechase.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/PHOTO-Congratulations-To-Matt-Gaetz-On-Breaking-The-Susan-Collins-Concern-O-Meter-Meme-768x378.jpg). Every one of these motherfuckers who didn’t vote to impeach after the January 6 insurrection and haven’t since stood up and demanded that Trump is sufficiently venal and corrupt to justify removal from office has blood on their hands. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2025, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-murder-on-the-high-seas-venezuelan-drug-boat/1022910/147 "2025-11-03T01:28:39Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > Remember “They’re eating cats and dogs” Isn’t that a sign of the apocalypse, according to Ghostbusters? “Dogs and cats, sautéing together” ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2025, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-murder-on-the-high-seas-venezuelan-drug-boat/1022910/148 "2025-11-03T14:47:07Z")
Injecting some humor (or ‘sparkling reality’ as I call it). > **[Navy Blows Up Miami Influencer Boat Carrying Three Grams of Cocaine](https://miamicreationmyth.com/navy-blows-up-miami-influencer-boat/)** > > The USS Lyndon B. Johnson launched a Tomahawk cruise missile that sank a 45-foot yacht anchored just off Downtown Miami. And a whole bunch of descriptive names for Kegsbreath. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2025, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-murder-on-the-high-seas-venezuelan-drug-boat/1022910/149 "2025-11-03T17:33:57Z")
> [@Toxgoddess](#): > > “Smedley Butler” is not a cartoon character name? Perhaps not. But if a cartoon required a character who’s a butler, “Smedley” would be an excellent name. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2025, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-murder-on-the-high-seas-venezuelan-drug-boat/1022910/150 "2025-11-05T01:01:11Z")
Killing these people rather than stopping them is bad enough, but if there really is this serious war on drugs, why aren’t the drug boats allowed to complete their delivery so the customers could be caught? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2025, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-murder-on-the-high-seas-venezuelan-drug-boat/1022910/151 "2025-11-05T01:08:22Z")
And of course those on the so-called “drug boats” are at the lowest level of the structure. It has no impact on those who control the drug cartels. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2025, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-murder-on-the-high-seas-venezuelan-drug-boat/1022910/152 "2025-11-05T01:50:33Z")
The customers might be white. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2025, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-murder-on-the-high-seas-venezuelan-drug-boat/1022910/153 "2025-11-05T17:31:22Z")
The customers might be donating to the Trump/Epstein Ballroom. ---
**Author:** ![abcdefghij](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/43a26b/32.png) [@abcdefghij](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/abcdefghij)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2025, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-murder-on-the-high-seas-venezuelan-drug-boat/1022910/154 "2025-11-05T17:43:42Z")
The customers might be Eric and Don jr. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2025, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-murder-on-the-high-seas-venezuelan-drug-boat/1022910/155 "2025-11-07T18:12:19Z")
[The AP just did an investigative story on this](https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/trump-accused-boat-crews-being-052306566.html). I skimmed the article. Apparently it’s true that the boats were running drugs. However, most (all?) the people on the boats were not narco-terrorists, cartel members, or gang members. They were blue-collar laborers (fishermen, taxi drivers, etc.) hired by the cartels. ---
**Author:** ![Zoobi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/13edae/32.png) [@Zoobi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoobi)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2025, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-murder-on-the-high-seas-venezuelan-drug-boat/1022910/156 "2025-11-07T18:16:01Z")
Insert shocked Pikachu face here ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2025, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-murder-on-the-high-seas-venezuelan-drug-boat/1022910/157 "2025-11-07T18:16:13Z")
There’s no justification for bombing them without first trying to stop them. Can’t stopping these boats double as some sort of training exercise? That might take the sting off of not being able to murder them. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2025, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-murder-on-the-high-seas-venezuelan-drug-boat/1022910/158 "2025-11-09T07:55:35Z")
Not for the people ordering it done. This is _about_ killing people for the jollies. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2025, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-murder-on-the-high-seas-venezuelan-drug-boat/1022910/159 "2025-11-09T15:59:46Z")
There are a couple moments in the currently-in-cinemas film _Nuremberg_ that echo the theme of this thread. While the director and other makers of the film couldn’t have predicted this particular action, it’s no secret that the film’s several nods to Trump policies and MAGA tendencies are deliberate. ---
**Author:** ![Mundane\_Super\_Hero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mundane_super_hero/32/6304_2.png) [@Mundane\_Super\_Hero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mundane_Super_Hero)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2025, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-murder-on-the-high-seas-venezuelan-drug-boat/1022910/160 "2025-11-09T17:56:26Z")
I have not seen the film yet. Since you have, please tell me; Did Hitler play golf…? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-murder-on-the-high-seas-venezuelan-drug-boat/1022910.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-murder-on-the-high-seas-venezuelan-drug-boat/1022910.md?page=9)