President Trump is declaring that the U.S. is in an “armed conflict” with drug cartels, following recent strikes on boats in the Caribbean — that’s according to a memo obtained by the Associated Press. The memo also states, “The United States has now reached a critical point where we must use force in self-defense and defense of others against the ongoing attacks by these designated terrorist organizations.” It comes after the U.S. attacked three boats in the Caribbean last month, reportedly killing 17 people. Meanwhile, Venezuela’s Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino blasted the U.S. Thursday after detecting five F-35 fighter jets close to the Venezuelan coast.

Vladimir Padrino López: “The presence of these aircraft flying near our area of influence, nearby the Caribbean Sea and off the Venezuelan coast, is a vulgarity and a threat to national security. It is a serious threat. So I denounce before the world the military harassment and the military threat from the United States government against the people of Venezuela, who only want peace, work and happiness.”