“Later in December, Trump officially classified fentanyl as a "weapon of mass destruction."”

“The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) found that [fentanyl] accounted for almost 70% of lethal US overdoses.”

“The fentanyl sold illegally throughout the US is primarily produced in Mexico, rather than in South America.”

“The same goes for psychostimulants, which are the second-deadliest drug category in the US after synthetic opioids like fentanyl, according to NIDA.”

“South America is largely responsible for cocaine smuggled into the US.”

“Most deadly US strikes, meanwhile, have occurred in the Caribbean, from where drugs are typically smuggled to Europe by boat, rather than in the Pacific region, which is the route taken by many US-bound narcotics smugglers.”

“Alex Papadovassilakis of investigative news outlet InSight Crime believes that US attacks have successfully disrupted certain drug smuggling routes in the Caribbean.”

“The removal of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro could have a far greater impact on narcotics smuggling from South America, says Victor M. Mijares, a political scientist at the Universidad de los Andes in Bogota, Colombia, telling DW that "we know there is a lot of evidence linking the regime to drug trafficking."”

“Venezuela's interim government, led by Delcy Rodriguez, says it is working professionally with the US government.”

“The Latin American country has the world's largest known oil reserves.”