For Immediate Release:
October 8, 2025
Contact:
Vicki Gass
Executive Director
Latin America Working Group (LAWG)
vgass@lawg.org
Over 50 Human Rights, Faith, Veterans and Foreign Policy Groups Call on Congress to Stop President Trump’s Aggression in the Caribbean
Organizations Urge Congress to Pass War Powers Resolutions
Washington, D.C. — More than 50 human rights, faith-based, foreign policy, veterans, and other organizations sent a letter to members of Congress today urging them to act quickly to end the Trump administration’s lethal attacks and mounting military campaign in the Caribbean, directed primarily at Venezuela. To prevent an expansion of military conflict in the region, the signers are urging the Senate and House to pass War Powers Resolutions to constrain the administration. The organizations are also calling for diplomacy over hostility, a reduction in the U.S. military build-up in the region, and compensation for the families of victims of these extrajudicial killings.
The administration has not provided any valid legal justification for these strikes or any evidence to substantiate its claims that the victims were an imminent threat to the security of the United States. The organizations fear that, barring decisive action by members of Congress, there will be more strikes, more extrajudicial killings, and potentially a full-blown endless war. This could have devastating humanitarian and geopolitical consequences. “Without evidence and due process,” stated LAWG Executive Director Vicki Gass, “this administration is committing murder. Congress must reclaim its constitutional mandate to prevent a military escalation and seek diplomatic avenues to resolve conflicts.”
Citing Human Rights Watch, the letter states that “the extrajudicial killing of civilians by the U.S. military is a violation of customary international law and international human rights law, specifically the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which protects the right to life and due process, and to which the United States is a party.” As such, U.S. servicemembers could be held criminally liable for their role in such killings under the federal murder statute.
Finally, the letter reports that “Venezuela is a relatively minor player” in the regional drug trade, does not produce significant quantities of cocaine or fentanyl, and cites U.S. government data that “less than 10% of cocaine shipments bound for the U.S. transit through Venezuela.” This hardly justifies provoking a military confrontation that could spark regional conflict or allow the administration to invoke the Alien Enemies Act to once again send Venezuelan nationals or others to inhumane, high-security prisons in other countries.
Highlighted quotes from organizations:
“We are shocked and appalled by the recent deadly U.S. military strikes on civilian boats in the Caribbean. As Pope Leo XIV and his predecessors have told us, ‘War is always a defeat.’ Maryknoll missioners have witnessed the devastation of military violence throughout Latin America, too often supported or carried out by the United States. When such killing is aimed at civilians with no due process, it not only violates the sacredness of human life, but undermines basic principles of human rights and the rule of law, and threatens the stability of the region. We pray that the United States will reverse course, and urge Congress to hold the administration to account and assert its constitutional authority over war powers before this violence is allowed to escalate.” —Susan Gunn, Director, Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns
“Congress must not sit idly by while the Trump administration drags the United States into another unauthorized war. These illegal killings in the Caribbean, which have received zero congressional oversight or authorization, are putting the United States on course toward a regime change war in Venezuela and expanding failed and dangerous militarized drug war policies across Latin America. Lawmakers must reassert their constitutional authority and make clear that no president can unilaterally decide when and where the United States goes to war.” —Cavan Kharrazian, Senior Policy Advisor, Demand Progress
“Despite having promised to keep the U.S. out of ‘forever wars,’ President Trump appears intent on launching a new open-ended, geographically limitless war on alleged ‘narco-terror,’ despite lacking congressional authorization to do so. Trump’s illegal military campaign has already resulted in the tragic death of over 20 unidentified civilians in the Caribbean Sea and could soon be directed at Venezuela, in an attempt to incite violent regime change there. A full-blown war could follow, potentially resulting in mass casualties and a new wave of mass migration from a country already struggling with economic devastation largely caused by U.S. sanctions. Other nations Trump has threatened, such as Mexico or Panama, could also soon face U.S. military intervention, with potentially disastrous consequences. Congress should nip this new forever war in the bud and immediately terminate any further unauthorized military action by the Trump administration.” —Alex Main, Director of International Policy, Center for Economic and Policy Research
“We are deeply alarmed by the summary execution of more than 20 civilians in the Caribbean and the declaration that these strikes will continue. We are also alarmed by the military-style raids targeting our communities in the U.S. and claims of authority to fight ‘a war from within.’ Killing people suspected of committing crimes without any due process is immoral and illegal—whether it is on the high seas or inside the United States. What’s more, this violent, militarized course will do nothing to help those suffering from substance abuse, who deserve treatment and rehabilitation. We call on Congress to assert its constitutional role by voting for War Powers Resolutions to end these extrajudicial killings. We urge the administration to end the violent raids on our communities and reverse the escalating military buildup in the Caribbean that threatens to take us into another forever war. War is not the answer, at home or abroad.” —Bridget Moix, General Secretary, Friends Committee on National Legislation
“The U.S. government has now summarily executed over 20 civilians in the Caribbean with no accountability or end in sight. These unauthorized strikes violate fundamental principles of human rights and U.S. law and risk escalation toward a conflict that would devastate communities across the region. Congress must act now or risk setting the dangerous precedent that the president can execute anyone he accuses of a crime without due process. We urge lawmakers to support War Powers Resolutions to put an end to these illegal killings.” —Annie Shiel, U.S. Director, Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC)
“Any attack on Venezuela only serves to intensify the already severe humanitarian situation in the region and further drives outward migration, especially in the context of recent cuts to humanitarian and development aid by the U.S. and many European governments. People in Venezuela are already living through crisis, with the most marginalized and the lowest-income the most at risk in a depressed economy. Many cannot access basic necessities to survive, while they face rising prices for consumer goods and increasing food insecurity. As of December 2024, more than 7.8 million Venezuelans had left the country, making it one of the largest displacement crises in the world. And in the event of land attacks, significant portions of the remaining humanitarian work would undoubtedly pause due to security concerns. Worsening of the humanitarian crisis will only lead to more chaos and disruption; current US military action is unconstitutional, violates the UN charter, and should cease immediately. ” —Elizabeth Tregaskis Gordon, Senior Policy Advisor for LAC, Oxfam America
Read the full letter in English and in Spanish.
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