00:00President Donald Trump announces on Thursday that United States will soon begin land-based military strikes targeting drug cartels in Latin America.
00:09Speaking in a televised interview, Trump says that Washington has successfully disrupted almost all maritime drug trafficking and is now preparing to target cartel strongholds on land.
00:21He characterised powerful criminal groups as having de facto control over large swaths of territory in Mexico and said the new phase of operations will directly confront that influence.
00:33Trump's remarks follow a highly controversial US military operation last weekend that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.
00:41Since September, US forces have carried out a series of strikes on vessels alleged to be involved in drug trafficking in the Caribbean and Pacific, resulting in more than 100 deaths.
00:53Trump also said that US forces have already conducted at least one land strike against a docking area believed to be used by suspected drug boats in Venezuela.
01:02On Sunday, Trump disclosed that he had urged Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum to allow US troops to operate on Mexican soil against drug cartels, a proposal which she had previously rejected.
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