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Rubio warns cartels as U.S. Strike on Venezuelan boat raises regional unease

By Michele Kelemen

Published September 5, 2025 at 5:12 PM EDT

Secretary of State Marco Rubio says the U.S. is at war with drug cartels. He's pushing regional allies to join the fight, even as critics warn the Trump administration is on shaky legal ground.

Michele Kelemen

Michele Kelemen has been with NPR for two decades, starting as NPR's Moscow bureau chief and now covering the State Department and Washington's diplomatic corps. Her reports can be heard on all NPR News programs, including Morning Edition and All Things Considered.

See stories by Michele Kelemen

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Secretary of State Marco Rubio says there could be more strikes on drug traffickers

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U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warns of more military strikes on drug traffickers, calling a U.S. strike on a Venezuelan boat a clear message to cartels.
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