Oct. 15 (UPI) — U.S. border officials said Wednesday that more than a dozen undocumented migrants via Russia and former Soviet satellite states were taken into custody near Puerto Rico.
Border authorities intercepted a 41-foot sailboat carrying 13 migrants near Combate Beach on Puerto Rico’s west coast Sunday afternoon, officials said. Air and Marine Operations, part of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, tracked the vessel as it approached the shoreline with assistance from the U.S. Coast Guard and the Puerto Rican Police’s Fuerzas Unidas de Rapida Accion unit.
“This successful interdiction demonstrates the unwavering commitment and vigilance of the Michel O. Maceda Marine Unit in protecting our nation’s borders,” Christopher Hunter, director of the Caribbean Air and Marine Branch, said in a statement.
Agents found 13 people aboard that included 10 unidentified men from Uzbekistan, a woman from Kyrgyzstan and two Russian men.
None of the undocumented suspects had official papers allowing legal entry to the United States.
Agents escorted the small yacht to the Michel O. Maceda Marine Unit for inspection, and the migrants were taken into custody and transferred to Homeland Security Investigations for processing, officials noted, “in good condition.”
Officials at America’s border agency added that the operation highlights ongoing efforts by CBP and the Caribbean Border Interagency Group to prevent illegal maritime activity and strengthen border security in the Caribbean region.
As more assets arrive in the Caribbean, it’s becoming more likely that U.S. military activities will evolve beyond maritime drug interdiction operations, with the possibility of direct actions inland on cartels becoming a real possibility. In particular, the Trump administration has its eye on Venezuelan strongman Nicolas Maduro and the affiliated Tren de Aragua drug gang.
The F-35 images were taken on September 13th, the day of the jets’ arrival in Puerto Rico, after making the long haul from Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Yuma in Arizona, but were just posted today. As we noted in our original report on their arrival, the unit markings have been stripped on the jets, but the captions of the photos state the aircraft belong to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 225 (VMFA-225), which seems strange if operational security was a major consideration in removing their tail codes and unit markings.
U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning IIs assigned to the Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 225 (VMFA-225), fly in formation in preparation to land in the U.S. Southern Command Area of Responsibility, Sept. 13, 2025. U.S. military forces are deployed to the Caribbean in support of the USSOUTHCOM mission, Department of War-directed operations, and the president’s priorities. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Katelynn Jackson) Senior Airman Katelynn JacksonU.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning IIs assigned to the Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 225 (VMFA-225), fly in formation in preparation to land in the U.S. Southern Command Area of Responsibility, Sept. 13, 2025. U.S. military forces are deployed to the Caribbean in support of the USSOUTHCOM mission, Department of War-directed operations, and the president’s priorities. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Katelynn Jackson) Senior Airman Katelynn JacksonA U.S. Marine Corps plane captain assigned to the Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 225 (VMFA-225), signals to the pilot of a F35B Lightning II as it taxis on the flightline after landing in the U.S. Southern Command Area of Responsibility, Sept. 13, 2025. U.S. military forces are deployed to the Caribbean in support of the USSOUTHCOM mission, Department of War-directed operations, and the president’s priorities. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Katelynn Jackson) Senior Airman Katelynn JacksonA U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II assigned to the Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 225 (VMFA-225), lands in the U.S. Southern Command Area of Responsibility, Puerto Rico, Sept. 13, 2025. U.S. military forces are deployed to the Caribbean in support of the USSOUTHCOM mission, Department of War-directed operations, and the president’s priorities. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Katelynn Jackson) Senior Airman Katelynn Jackson(U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Katelynn Jackson) (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Katelynn Jackson) (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Katelynn Jackson)
A number of the pictures notably show lightning rods positioned around the jets. This has been a feature of F-35 deployments away from home bases for years now, and has been driven by safety issues tied to the aircraft’s fuel system, as you can read more about here. The F-35 Joint Program Office and manufacturer Lockheed Martin have worked to mitigate those concerns in the past, but clearly lightning strike protection remains an important part of the ground support package for the jets.
The F-35s have already been active on patrols, including those off the coast of Venezuela, according to claims made by open-source flight trackers. Venezuela’s Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López claimed today that the country’s armed forces had tracked some of the jets flying off the coast in the Maiquetía Flight Information Region (FIR).
🇻🇪 🇺🇸 Venezuela’s Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López announced that air defense systems detected five F-35 Lightning II aircraft operating within the Maiquetía Flight Information Region (FIR) off Venezuela’s coast.
TWZ cannot confirm that these operations took place, but the F-35s are clearly there for a reason. As we originally highlighted, using their powerful sensor suite for surveillance and reconnaissance would be one aspect short of kinetic operations of their role in the overall mission.
The F-35s are part of a much larger contingent of U.S. forces that includes ships and thousands of personnel from the Iwo Jima Amphibious Readiness Group (ARG)/22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU). There are also several Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyers, a Ticonderoga class guided missile cruiser, a Los Angeles class nuclear powered fast attack submarine, MQ-9 Reapers, strategic intelligence gathering and maritime patrol aircraft, and other assets deployed to the region. Even Ocean Trader, a shadowy special operations mothership, is now prowling the waters of the Caribbean. It could play a central role as a staging point and command and control node for direct action against cartels should the orders come.
The M/V Ocean Trader, a highly customized roll-on/roll-off cargo ship converted into a special operations command center and “mothership” operated by U.S. Military Sealift Command (MSC), was spotted today in the Southern Caribbean Sea off the coast of the U.S. Virgin Islands,… pic.twitter.com/AL62ZFBYWx
While this large U.S. buildup is ostensibly stated as a means to counter drug trafficking in the Caribbean, some officials in the Trump administration are pushing to oust Maduro. The U.S. government first brought drug trafficking and other charges against Maduro in 2020 and is currently offering a $50 million bounty for his capture.
On Thursday, news also broke that President Donald Trump has declared drug cartels to be unlawful combatants, saying the United States is now in a “non-international armed conflict,” according to an administration memo obtained Thursday by The Associated Press, after recent U.S. strikes on boats in the Caribbean.
Congress was notified about the designation by Pentagon officials on Wednesday, an anonymous source told the wire service.
Trump’s declaration comes after the U.S. military last month carried out three deadly strikes against alleged drug smuggling boats in the Caribbean. At least two of those operations were carried out on vessels that originated from Venezuela.
F-35s could be used to strike cartels directly at their inland bases. The aircraft’s ability to penetrate into airspace, even unnoticed (depending on the air defense capabilities of the country), would provide a valuable lower-risk advantage compared to other assets. This is especially true in airspace that is less permissible, where an MQ-9 Reaper, for instance, could not be used with ease. Still, putting pilots at risk vastly complicates any operation and would require a robust combat search and rescue package to be ready to leap into action if something went wrong. This is where a vessel like Ocean Trader could also come in very handy, as a staging point for those reactive operations, as could ships from the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group. The F-35Bs also have the ability to stage operations directly from the USS Iwo Jima itself.
We’ll have to see how this all plays out, but clearly things are heating up in the Southern Caribbean.
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Bad Bunny fans drowned out memories of Hurricane Maria in one booming voice on the anniversary of the devastating storm.
Saturday was a concert for Puerto Ricans by Puerto Ricans to remind the world about the power of la isla del encanto — the island of enchantment.
“We’re not going to quit. The entire world is watching!” Bad Bunny thundered into his microphone as he looked into a camera streaming his last show in Puerto Rico this year to viewers around the world, concluding a historic 30-concert residency in the U.S. territory.
The crowd roared as thousands watching via Amazon Music, Prime Video and Twitch joined them, marking the first time Bad Bunny was streamed across the globe.
The residency was more than just a series of concerts. Saturday marked the end of an extended love letter that Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio sang to his homeland. He tapped into what it means to be Puerto Rican, to delight in the island’s beauty, to defend its land and fight for its people.
“This is for you,” Bad Bunny said from the rooftop of a famed Puerto Rican house installed at the concert venue as he raised his glass and the crowd raised their glasses in return.
‘We are still here’
Saturday marked the eighth anniversary of Hurricane Maria, which slammed into Puerto Rico as a Category 4 storm on Sept. 20, 2017.
An estimated 2,975 people died in the sweltering aftermath of the storm that crippled the island’s electric grid, leaving some communities without power for up to a year. Anger and frustration over the pace of reconstruction continues to simmer as chronic power outages persist.
In a report issued Sept. 11, the U.S. Office of Inspector General found that 92% of approved and obligated projects related to Puerto Rico’s crumbling grid were incomplete and that $3.7 billion of available funds had not been obligated.
“Over seven years after Hurricane Maria, FEMA does not know when Puerto Rico’s electrical grid will be completely rebuilt. The grid remains unstable, inadequate, and vulnerable to interruptions,” the report stated.
On Saturday, the number of estimated deaths was printed on the backs of T-shirts and written on Puerto Rican flags that the crowd waved.
“We are still emotional and carry the trauma of having gone through a horrible thing,” said Marta Amaral, 61, who attended Saturday’s concert. “Beyond the sadness and remembering the negativity of having gone through a traumatic event, this is a celebration that we are still here, standing.”
A surprise guest
At every concert this summer, Bad Bunny invited new celebrities — among them LeBron James, Penélope Cruz, Darren Aronofsky, DJ Khaled and Kylian Mbappé — and sang with different musicians, including Rubén Blades, Residente, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Rai Nao and Jorge Drexler.
But Saturday, the noise from the crowd hit new levels as Bad Bunny rapped with Puerto Rico heavyweights Ñengo Flow, Jowell y Randy, Dei V and Arcángel and De la Ghetto. Thousands of fans flexed their knees in unison to thumping rap and reggaetón.
Then, the crowd gasped in disbelief as Marc Anthony appeared on stage after Bad Bunny pleaded with his fans to join him because he was going to sing a song he hadn’t sung in public in some 20 years.
“Yo te quiero, Puerto Rico!” the crowd cried as the two singers embraced at the end of the iconic “Preciosa,” whose lyrics say, “I love you, Puerto Rico.”
‘An emotional night’
Thousands gathered outside the concert venue Saturday hours before the concert, with Puerto Rico’s national flower, the flor de maga, tucked behind their ears and the traditional straw hat known as a pava set at a jaunty angle on their heads.
But not all were celebrating.
Darlene Mercado milled around, asking strangers if they knew of anyone with tickets she could buy for herself and her daughter, who had flown in from New Jersey.
They were around number 122,000 in a virtual waiting line to buy tickets for Saturday’s sold-out concert and weren’t able to get any after waiting eight hours online.
“This is not only the anniversary of the hurricane, but it’s also the anniversary of me no longer having cancer and it’s my birthday. We wanted to celebrate everything with a bang,” Mercado said.
Saturday’s concert was open only to residents of Puerto Rico, as were the first nine concerts of Bad Bunny’s residency, but the others were open to fans around the world.
Overall, the concerts attracted roughly half a million people, generating an estimated $733 million for Puerto Rico, according to a study by Gaither International.
Most foreign visitors came from the Dominican Republic, Colombia and Spain, with an average stay of nearly nine nights, the study found. Overall, about 70% of concertgoers were female, with an average age of 33, according to the study.
Among those attending was Shamira Oquendo. “It’s going to be an emotional night,” the 25-year-old said, noting that Hurricane Maria was her first hurricane. “It was very sad. A lot of people around me lost their things.”
‘Yo soy boricua!’
Puerto Rico’s party with Bad Bunny ended early Sunday, but the superstar who recently clinched 12 Latin Grammy nominations will go on a worldwide tour in December, with concerts planned in Costa Rica, Mexico, Brazil, Australia, Spain, France and Sweden. Notably, he is skipping the mainland U.S., citing concerns over the federal government’s immigration arrests.
On Saturday, Bad Bunny thanked his fans for their love.
“I’m going to miss you a lot. I’m going to miss this energy,” he said as he urged the crowd to embrace love no matter the situation.
At that moment, friends and family in the crowd began to hug one another, some with tears in their eyes.
After more than three hours of singing with Bad Bunny, fans were not quite ready to let go. As the crowd filed down the stairs and into the night, one man yelled, “Yo soy boricua!” and the crowd responded, “Pa’ que tú lo sepas!”
It’s a traditional cry-and-response yell that lets people around them know they’re Puerto Rican and proud of it.
Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy.
A flight of six F-35B stealth fighters landed in Puerto Rico Saturday afternoon to take part in the Trump Administration’s enhanced operation against narcotraffickers, also aimed at Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro. They will join one of the largest U.S. military deployments to the Caribbean in years.
Video emerged of the jets landing at the former Roosevelt Roads Naval Station in Ceiba, Puerto Rico. A U.S. defense official told The War Zone that “[w]e have no force posture changes to announce currently.”
Interestingly, the F-35s seen landing at the base have no unit markings on their tails. This could be force protection/security tactic, it isn’t clear at this time.
F-35 fighters have arrived at the former Roosevelt Roads Naval Station in Ceiba, Puerto Rico, now operating as the primary staging base for the aircraft and their support teams.
The fifth-generation jets originated at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Yuma and did a stopover at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida, according to open source flight trackers on social media.
🚨| URGENTE: Aviones F35 de los Estados Unidos fueron filmados saliendo a Puerto Rico desde la Base de la Fuerza Aérea MacDill, una instalación militar de EE. UU. ubicada en Tampa, Florida 🇺🇸🇻🇪 El fin del régimen de Maduro es cada vez más real. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/SU4oyRv7nF
They were photographed being refueled by a KC-135 Stratotanker near Miami.
Imágenes del 🇺🇲KC-135T, reg 58-0094, sobrevolando Miami y reabasteciendo los F-35B🚀 que van rumbo a Puerto Rico🇵🇷 en una de las imágenes se logra distinguir 5 F-35 lightning II pic.twitter.com/DRQrnuStYk
Earlier this month, Trump ordered 10 F-35s to take part in a mission that the Trump administration has made the centerpiece of its foreign policy and power projection. The White House considers Maduro a narco-terrorist tied to a Venezuelan drug cartel. He is also a fugitive with a $50 million bounty on his head.
The jets join an armada that includes 4,500 Marines and sailors, at least eight ships, including a nuclear-powered Los Angeles class fast attack submarine, and many other military assets. The Air Combat Element (ACE) that’s part of the amphibious group have AV-8B+ Harriers deployed to the USS Iwo Jima, as well. A second flight of four F-35s from MCAS Yuma is also headed toward Puerto Rico, according to open source flight spotters.
MAZDA21 flight (4x F-35Bs) departed MCAS Yuma (KNYL) 🇺🇸 and are en route to Roosevelt Roads (NRR/TJRV) 🇵🇷.
Deadly force has already been used in this mission. Trump said 11 smugglers were killed in an attack on a cartel boat were killed in attack11 smugglers tied to Tren de Aragua (TD) drug cartel. Venezuela responded by flying two F-16s near the Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyer USS Jason Dunham.
It is unclear what missions the fighters will perform. We’ve reached out to the White House and Pentagon for more details.
The F-35s bring a wide array of capabilities wherever they are deployed. While best known for its kinetic capabilities, including striking targets and taking on enemy aircraft, the Joint Strike Fighter is an extremely powerful intelligence gathering tool, with its highly capable radar and electro-optical systems. Yet its electronic intelligence gathering ability is perhaps its most potent reconnaissance asset. You can read more about that here. In addition, the B model is capable of operating on the Wasp class amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima, that is, as we noted earlier, currently off the coast of Puerto Rico. Launching and recovering from a ship as an option provides commanders with extra flexibility when planning operations.
The Wasp class amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) conducts an anchoring evolution. Sailors and Marines of the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group – 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Logan Goins) Seaman Logan Goins
During his visit, Hegseth flew a U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey to the USS Iwo Jima, the lead ship in the Iwo Jima Amphibious Readiness Group (ARG). The ship is part of the counter-narcotics effort and currently stationed about 30 miles south of Puerto Rico.
The visit was embraced by Puerto Rico’s governor.
“Honored to welcome Secretary of War Pete Hegseth…along with General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff…to Puerto Rico,” Jennifer González-Colón said on X Monday morning. President Donald Trump last week signed an executive order changing the name of the Department of Defense to the Department of War.
“We thank POTUS Trump and his Administration for recognizing the strategic value Puerto Rico has to the national security of the United States and the fight against drug cartels in our hemisphere, perpetuated by narco-dictator Nicolas Maduro. We are proud to support America First policies that secure our borders and combat illicit activities to protect Americans and our homeland.”
Honored to welcome Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) along with General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (@thejointstaff) to Puerto Rico.
We thank @POTUS Trump and his Administration for recognizing the strategic value Puerto Rico has to the national… pic.twitter.com/vlrDK6Y5Oy
Hegseth and Caine met with González-Colón at the Muñiz Air National Guard Base in Isla Verde, according to the Puerto Rican El Nuevo Dia media outlet.
The War Secretary “delivered a message to nearly 300 soldiers there, according to the governor, who was accompanied by the adjutant general of the National Guard. Colonel Carlos José Rivera Román, and the Secretary of Public Security, Arturo Garffer,” the publication reported.
The visit to Puerto Rico comes as some 4,500 sailors and Marines from the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) continue to conduct amphibious landing training exercises that began Aug. 31.
“Although the Pentagon initially reported that these were routine exercises, the increased military presence in Puerto Rico—which has sparked protests—was gradually linked to the Trump administration’s show of force in waters near Venezuela,” El Nuevo Dia posited.
Captan ejercicio militar en desarrollo de la Marina de Estados Unidos, con dos vehículos anfibios y helicópteros, en la playa Punta Guilarte, en Arroyo. El ejercicio ocurre a la misma vez que las tensiones entre Washington D.C. y Venezuela aumentan en torno al presidente Maduro. pic.twitter.com/quSsZp0sPV
The Pentagon has declined to comment about the trip to Puerto Rico by Hegseth and Caine, but it comes a day after U.S. President Donald Trump offered an ominous response to a question about whether American forces will strike drug cartel targets inside Venezuela.
“Well, you’re going to find out,” Trump answered. He offered no further explanation about what he meant.
The U.S. has already carried out one kinetic strike, against a suspected drug boat operated by the Tren de Aragua (TDA) cartel. TDA has been deemed a narco-terror organization by Trump. The attack destroyed the vessel, killing 11 people on it, Trump announced last week. The incident has raised questions about killing suspects without a trial and the use of force without Congressional approval.
. @POTUS “Earlier this morning, on my Orders, U.S. Military Forces conducted a kinetic strike against positively identified Tren de Aragua Narcoterrorists in the SOUTHCOM area of responsibility. TDA is a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization, operating under the control of… pic.twitter.com/aAyKOb9RHb
Images emerged on social media of at least two MQ-9 Reaper drones in Puerto Rico. They appear to be there as part of the counter-narcotics mission. These aircraft can carry a variety of missiles as well as sensors for surveillance and can loiter for more than 24 hours over a target, making them an ideal platform for these missions. Reuters took a photo of one of the Reapers carrying sensor pods and armed with AGM-114 Hellfire missiles.
We have reached out to the Air Force, Pentagon and White House for further clarification, as well as details about how often, if at all, Reapers have been so deployed to fight drug trafficking in the Caribbean. We also asked for comment on whether at least one Reaper took part in the attack on the drug boat, which is a likely scenario. The Air Force deferred us to the Pentagon. We will update this story with any pertinent details provided.
In response to the boat attack, Venezuelan Air Force F-16 Vipers conducted a flight near the Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyer USS Jason Dunham, a U.S. official confirmed to us. CBS News reported a second encounter, but The War Zone cannot independently verify that.
Meanwhile, Trump on Friday said that U.S. Navy ships can shoot down Venezuelan aircraft that “put us in a dangerous position.”
“General, if they do that, you have a choice to do anything you want” — Trump gives a military official authorization to take out Venezuelans planes pic.twitter.com/si2H9w1Uyp
The Dunham is one of at least eight warships, including a Los Angeles class nuclear-powered submarine, that have been ordered to the Caribbean by Trump. A U.S. official told us on Monday that those ships have not moved since we wrote about this deployment last week.
As we recently pointed out, the American leader also ordered 10 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters to deploy to Puerto Rico, though it remains unclear where they will come from, when they arrive and what they will do once they get there. However, as we have previously pointed out, the F-35 offers a lot of capabilities. In addition to carrying out strikes, these fifth-generation aircraft also have a variety of sensors that make it an ideal intelligence-gathering platform. You can read more about that here.
In addition, open source flight trackers have pointed that numerous U.S. transport aircraft have been making trips to Puerto Rico. There have been no official indications that additional troops are on the way for this effort; however, the transports could be carrying manpower and materiel needed for a sustained campaign.
While ostensibly to counter drug trafficking, a source familiar with these operations told us that the deployments are also a message to Maduro.
The Venezuelan leader was indicted in a New York federal court in 2020, during the first Trump presidency. He and 14 others, including several close allies, were hit with federal charges of narco-terrorism and conspiracy with the Colombian FARC insurgent group to import cocaine. The U.S., as we previously mentioned, has issued a $50 million reward for his capture.
Speaking of, Maduro, on Sunday, he claimed he was moving 25,000 more troops to the border with Colombia in an effort to fight drug traffickers. Whether that is a real deployment or will have any effect on U.S. operations is unlikely.
As we have noted, the presence of high-end assets like 10 F-35s does not necessarily signal that the U.S. is planning to go to to war directly with Venezuela.
Going to strongly but respectfully disagree with this assessment. The U.S. has used B-1s and many other high end assets for the counter narcotics mission. 10 F-35s is not a package to go to war with Venezuela. F-35s have many uses including intelligence gathering. There is also… https://t.co/28lz423IeD
As more assets arrive in the region in the coming days, we will keep you informed on how the mission develops.
Update: 5:13 PM Eastern –
The Pentagon released a video of Hegseth addressing troops aboard the Iwo Jima.
“Make no mistake about it, what you’re doing right now, it’s not training,” he proclaimed. “This is the real-world exercise on behalf of the vital national interests of the United States of America to end the poisoning of the American people.”
. @SECWAR aboard the USS Iwo Jima, addressing America’s WARRIORS:
“What you’re doing right now is NOT training.
This is a REAL-WORLD EXERCISE on behalf of the vital national interests of the United States of America—to end the POISONING of the American people.” pic.twitter.com/euQHFPsIll
Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy.
As the U.S. deploys an armada of ships and aircraft to the southern Caribbean, at least partly aimed at Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro, the U.S. Navy and Marines are conducting an amphibious landing training exercise in southern Puerto Rico. While the U.S. Marine Corps does not make any mention of Maduro or Venezuela in its media release about the exercise, the move comes as tensions are mounting between Washington and Caracas over the flow of illegal narcotics. The Trump administration considers Maduro a “narco-terrorist” and has raised the award for his arrest to $50 million. You can catch up with our most recent reporting on the Caribbean deployments here.
Meanwhile, the U.S. carried out a lethal strike in the southern Caribbean against a drug vessel that departed from Venezuela and was operated by a designated narco-terrorist organization, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on X this afternoon, following comments made by U.S. President Donald Trump. Striking this vessel points to a new kinetic angle to this effort, a major escalation. You can read more about the attack in our story here.
As @potus just announced moments ago, today the U.S. military conducted a lethal strike in the southern Carribean against a drug vessel which had departed from Venezuela and was being operated by a designated narco-terrorist organization.
The amphibious training exercise, which began two days ago, involves Marines and sailors from the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU). The 22nd MEU, part of the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), left Norfolk Aug. 14, bound for the southern Caribbean. That force included more than 4,500 sailors and Marines on three ships: The Wasp class amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima, and San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ships the USS San Antonio and USS Fort Lauderdale.
The Marines and sailors involved in the training exercise are part of the ARG/MEU dispatched for the drug interdiction effort, a Navy official told The War Zone Tuesday afternoon. The three ships are currently near Puerto Rico, the official added. Given the training efforts, at least some of these vessels are almost assuredly taking part, though neither the Navy nor Marines could immediately confirm that. The Navy referred us to the Marines for clarification, and we will update this story with any pertinent details provided.
The Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) is part of a large force conducting counter-drug operations in the Caribbean. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Logan Goins) Seaman Logan Goins
The deployment of the ARG/MEU is part of a much larger movement that also includes three Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyers, a Ticonderoga class guided missile cruiser, a Los Angeles class fast attack nuclear submarine as well as land-based surveillance aircraft. The movement of equipment and personnel is part of Trump’s continuing efforts to take on cartels.
The Puerto Rico training exercise “is designed to enhance the 22nd MEU’s readiness and capabilities, while also fostering stronger relationships with the Puerto Rican National Guard,” the 22nd MEU said in its release. “Amphibious operations are a cornerstone of naval integration and a core competency of the 22nd MEU. They enable the rapid deployment of Marines from naval vessels to shore, supporting U.S. strategic objectives.”
Whether coincidental or not, there are many physical and environmental similarities between Puerto Rico and Venezuela, located about 500 miles south of the U.S. territory.
The training exercise in Puerto Rico is taking place about 500 miles north of Venezuela (Google Earth)
“The challenging terrain and tropical climate of Puerto Rico provides an ideal environment for the 22nd MEU to conduct realistic amphibious training and hone specialized skills such as patrolling, reconnaissance, and survival techniques, ensuring a high level of readiness while forward deployed,” the unit explained. “These operations offer a valuable opportunity to train alongside the National Guard, leveraging existing military training facilities on the island. The 22nd MEU is actively seeking ways to expand collaborative training opportunities, including jungle training, combined exercises and community engagement events. These combined efforts are aimed at enhancing regional security, disaster response capabilities, and joint capacity building.”
In addition to the ARG/MEU ships, Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyers USS Gravely and USS Jason Dunham are underway in the southern Caribbean, the Navy official told us.
Meanwhile, at least two Navy warships have reached or transited the Panama Canal. The Ticonderoga class guided missile cruiser USS Lake Erie recently passed through the canal from the Pacific to the Caribbean. The Panama Canal opens up into that body of water about 600 miles southwest of Venezuela.
The Ticonderoga class guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Erie recently transited the Panama Canal. (U.S. Navy photo by Naval Aircrewman (Tactical Helicopter) 2nd Class Austin Irby) Commander, Task Force 70 / Carri
Overnight, guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Erie (CG 70) transited the Panama Canal northbound and entered the Caribbean Sea. Following the transit, Lake Erie stopped broadcasting its position, steaming at 17 knots on a 36° course, heading in the direction of Venezuela. pic.twitter.com/aNmeJhmN4y
In addition, the Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyer USS Sampson is docked on the Pacific side of the canal, the Navy official added. Citing Navy policy against publicly disclosing the location of its submarine force, the official would not comment on the whereabouts of the Los Angeles class fast attack submarine USS Newport News, also part of this effort.
The USS Sampson is among at least eight warships U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered toward Venezuela to take part in counter-narcotics operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Naval Aircrewmen 2nd Class John Allen) (U.S. Navy photo by Naval Aircrewmen 2nd Class John Allen)
While there is no indication that the U.S. plans to land forces in Venezuela, has the deployed capacity to do so effectively, or that any U.S. vessels are close by, Maduro and his military say they are ready to repel any attack.
“In the face of this maximum military pressure, we have declared maximum preparedness for the defense of Venezuela,” Maduro said Monday of the deployment, which he characterized as “an extravagant, unjustifiable, immoral and absolutely criminal and bloody threat.”
Maduro called the U.S. buildup “the greatest threat that has been seen on our continent in the last 100 years” in the form of “eight military ships with 1,200 missiles” targeting Venezuela.
Maduro asegura que 1.200 misiles y un submarino nuclear apuntan contra Venezuela
La Casa Blanca ha confirmado un despliegue militar en el Caribe como parte de su estrategia antidrogas, y aseguró que cuenta con el respaldo de varios países latinoamericanos. Maduro afirma que su… pic.twitter.com/KDAO2dUmLX
While the exact nature of this movement remains unclear, and no overt threats of kinetic action against Maduro directly have been made by the Trump administration, the Venezuelan dictator seems to be gearing up for a fight. Late last month, he announced the planned deployment of more than 4.5 million militia members around the country. They are volunteers designated to bolster the armed forces’ defense against external and domestic attacks. In addition, Venezuela announced it was deploying 15,000 troops toward the border with Colombia to conduct counter-drug operations.
Rubio said recently that “for the first time in the modern era,” the U.S. government was “truly on the offense” against organized cartels sending drugs to the United States, The New York Times noted. He and other officials in the Trump administration have called Mr. Maduro an illegitimate leader and his government a “narco-terror cartel.”
Maduro was indicted in a New York federal court in 2020, during the first Trump presidency. He and 14 others, including several close allies, were hit with federal charges of narco-terrorism and conspiracy with the Colombian FARC insurgent group to import cocaine. The U.S., as we previously mentioned, has issued a $50 million reward for his capture.
El primer póster oficial del gobierno de los Estados Unidos por la captura del terrorista latinoamericano más buscado de todos los tiempos: el venezolano Nicolas Maduro Moros. pic.twitter.com/Pq0ElEOGuF
Last week, someone with direct knowledge of the operations told us that the U.S. is building up military assets in the region aimed as a direct message at Maduro in addition to taking part in counter-drug operations. With the aforementioned attack on a Venezuelan cartel drug boat, this has now become a lethal drug interdiction effort.
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Former Puerto Rico Gov. Wanda Vázquez pleaded guilty Wednesday to a campaign finance violation in a federal case that authorities say also involved a former FBI agent and a Venezuelan banker.
Vázquez, an attorney, became the U.S. territory’s first former governor to plead guilty to a crime, specifically accepting a donation from a foreigner for her 2020 political campaign. She is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 15.
As she left the courthouse, Vázquez told reporters that she had confided “in people around her … who didn’t do their job” and accepted a donation pledge on behalf of the banker.
“They forgot to ask him for his green card,” she said, without identifying who exactly was responsible. “These are situations that happen.”
Vázquez noted that a pledge was made but no donation received. “There was no bribery here,” she said. “I didn’t take a single cent.”
She was arrested in August 2022 and initially accused of participating in a bribery scheme between December 2019 and June 2020 while governor.
The U. S. Department of Justice said Vázquez agreed to dismiss the head of Puerto Rico’s Office of the Commissioner of Financial Institutions in exchange for financial support toward her 2020 campaign for governor. During that time, the office was investigating a bank owned by Venezuelan Julio Herrera Velutini after suspicious transactions, according to authorities.
Justice officials allege that Herrera Velutini and Mark Rossini, a former FBI agent who provided consulting services to him, paid more than $300,000 to political consultants to support Vázquez’s campaign after she demanded the commissioner’s resignation and appointed a former consultant from Herrera Velutini’s bank to that position.
In August 2020, Vázquez lost in the primary of the New Progressive Party to Pedro Pierluisi, who was later elected as governor.
Federal authorities initially charged Vázquez and the other two suspects with conspiracy, federal programs bribery and honest services wire fraud. If found guilty, they could have faced up to 20 years in prison.
The charges were reduced this year to a violation of the Federal Election Campaign Act, which calls for up to a year in prison.
Herrera Velutini and Rossini also pleaded guilty Wednesday to the charge.
As she prepared to enter the federal courthouse in the Puerto Rican capital of San Juan, Vázquez told reporters that the last three years have been “terrible,” adding that the accusations against her were untrue.
She was accompanied by her attorney, Ignacio Fernández, who said Vázquez “feels vindicated” with the new charge.
The guilty plea entered Wednesday avoided a trial scheduled to start in late August.
Judge Silvia L. Carreño Coll previously criticized the deal, describing the new charge as a slap on the hand compared with the original charges.
Two other suspects have already pleaded guilty in the case.
1 of 2 | Hurricane Erin dropped to a Class 3 hurricane as its outer rainbands pounded the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. Tracking by the National Hurricane Center
Aug. 17 (UPI) — Hurricane Erin weakened to a Category 3 storm with maximum sustained winds of 125 mph while the outbands pounded the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico with gusty winds and heavy rains on Sunday.
The U.S. East Coast is forecast to have rough ocean conditions through the middle of the week, the National Hurricane Center said.
The storm is moving westerly at 14 mph and could affect the East Coast this week, the the NHC reported in an 8 a.m. EDT update.
The storm was located about 170 miles north-northwest of Puerto Rico and about 270 miles east of Grand Turk Island after passing the Leeward Islands on Saturday.
The season’s first Atlantic hurricane reached Category 5 status Saturday morning, the highest in the class, after rapidly intensifying overnight. It became a Category 1 hurricane on Friday, the years’ fifth named storm.
Erin dropped to a Category 4, and then 3 overnight into Sunday, but remained a major hurricane.
“Since the large-scale environment is expected to be favorable for about another day, re-strengthening is possible during that time period,” NHC forecaster John Cangialsi said in a discussion. “However, it should be noted that predicting the intensity evolution from internal dynamics are challenging, and models often provide Little reliability in their solutions.”
There is a tropical storm warning for the Turks and Caicos Islands and a tropical storm watch is in effect for the southeast Bahamas.
The storm was skirting Puerto Rico rather than hitting it directly.
Erin’s motion is expected to decrease in forward speed on Sunday, followed by a gradual turn to the north on Monday and Tuesday, NHC said.
On the forecast track, Erin’s core is projected to pass to the east of the Turks and Caicos Islands and southeastern Bahamas on Sunday and Monday.
By Thursday, the storm is forecast to be a few hundred miles west of Bermuda and just outside the big tracking cone. Erin is then forecast to travel north hundreds of miles from the East Coast.
Erin’s outer bands will produce rainfall of 3 to 6 inches across the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, with isolated totals of up to 8 inches. “Locally considerable flash and urban flooding, along with landslides or mudslides, are possible,” NHC said.
Also, swells will affect those places, as well as Hispaniola and the Turks and Caicos Islands, during the next couple of days, the agency said.
“Erin is expected to produce life-threatening surf and rip currents along the beaches of the Bahamas, much of the East Coast of the U.S., Bermuda, and Atlantic Canada during the next several days,” Cangialsi said.
He said interests along the North Carolina and mid-Atlantic coasts, as well are Bermuda “should monitor the progress of Erin as there is a risk of strong winds associated with the outer rainbands during the middle of next week.”
There have been four named storms so far this season in the Atlantic. Tropical Storm Chantal caused major flooding in North Carolina but has been the only of the four to make landfall in the United States this year.
The Atlantic hurricane season began on June 1 and ends on Nov. 30. The peak hurricane season goes from mid-August through September and into mid-October.
Ninety-three percent of hurricane landfalls along the U.S. Gulf Coast and the East Coast have occurred from August through October, the Weather Channel reported in citing data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Last year at this time, there also had been five named storms.
Heavy rains are forecast to start with the storm expected to become a major Category 3 storm over the weekend.
Hurricane Erin has formed in the Atlantic Ocean as it approaches the northeast Caribbean, as forecasters warn of possible flooding and landslides in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
The storm is expected to remain over open waters, although tropical storm watches were issued for Anguilla and Barbuda, St Martin and St Barts, Saba and St Eustatius and St Maarten.
Heavy rains were forecast to start late on Friday in Antigua and Barbuda, the US and British Virgin Islands, and southern and eastern Puerto Rico. Up to 10cm (four inches) are expected, with isolated totals of up to 15cm (six inches), according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.
Forecasters also warned of dangerous swells.
The storm was located about 835km (520 miles) east of the Northern Leeward Islands. It had maximum sustained winds of 110km/h (70mph) and was moving west-northwest at 28km/h (17mph).
Erin is forecast to become a major Category 3 storm late this weekend.
The hurricane centre noted that “there is still uncertainty about what impacts Erin may bring to portions of the Bahamas, the east coast of the United States, and Bermuda in the long range.”
Fifth named storm
Dangerous surf and rip currents are expected to affect the US East Coast next week, with waves reaching up to five metres (16.4 feet) along parts of the North Carolina coast that could cause beach erosion, according to Accuweather.
“Erin is forecast to explode into a powerful Category 4 hurricane as it moves across very warm waters in the open Atlantic. Water temperatures at the surface and hundreds of feet deep are several degrees higher than the historical average,” Alex DaSilva, Accuweather’s lead hurricane expert, was quoted by The Associated Press news agency.
Erin is the fifth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30.
This year’s season is once again expected to be unusually busy and potentially perilous. The forecast calls for six to 10 hurricanes, with three to five reaching major status with winds of more than 177km/h (110mph).
New York City native Kevin Mares was killed Sunday in the La Perla neigborhood of San Juan, Puerto Rico. The 25-year-old was visiting the island to see a Bad Bunny concert.
Mares was fatally shot in the early morning hours, outside of a nightclub called Shelter for Mistreated Men. The shooting took place when several people near Mares began arguing and one pulled out a gun and shot at least three people, the Associated Press reported.
Homicide detective Sgt. Arnaldo Ruiz told the AP that Mares was an innocent bystander in the situation and that a pair of siblings from La Perla remain hospitalized after being shot. No arrests have yet been made.
Mares was joined by his girlfriend and two friends in Puerto Rico. It was his partner who ended up delivering the news of his death to Mares’ parents.
“I said, ‘What happened?’ She said, ‘I’m sorry. We lost him,’ ” Hector Mares, Kevin’s father, told CBS News New York.
“Whoever did this, took from us a piece of us, you know?” Kevin’s mother, Sandra Mares, added.
A longtime Bad Bunny fan, Mares and his friends were consistently in attendance of the “La Mudanza” singer’s concerts and had been prepping for their San Juan trip for months.
“Every time Bad Bunny comes here, they go to most all of his concerts,” Sandra Mares said.
Mares — whose parents are originally from Mexico — was born and raised in the East Elmhurst neighborhood of Queens and was studying to be a veterinarian at LaGuardia Community College.
“He got a lot of dreams. He was working as a vet technician. And at the same time he was studying,” his father told ABC 7 New York.
“He was about to propose to [his girlfriend] this fall. Yeah. He wanted to do something special. He shared that with us,” his mother added. “He was a lovely son. He cared about all of us, his family, friends. He has a lot of friends who’s really going to miss him, too.”
Now, the Mares family is asking for anyone with information about the shooter and more specifics about the incident to please step forward.
“What we’re asking the people is, if anybody knows what happened, who did this, [to say something],” his mother told CBS. “We don’t know [anything]. We want justice.”
The family is currently making efforts toward having Mares’ body returned home, but it remains in Puerto Rico as the investigation into his death is still ongoing.
Kevin’s father started a GoFundMe to raise enough money — the campaign’s target is currently $50,000 — to plan Kevin’s funeral arrangements.
“Kevin Mares was a deeply loved son, devoted friend, and a source of inspiration to everyone who knew him. His wholehearted kindness, adventurous spirit, and unwavering commitment to family made him a pillar of strength for his loved ones,” the GofundMe page states. “Family was at the center of everything he did, and his sudden passing has left an unfillable void in our lives. … Your support will help us honor Kevin’s memory and give him the farewell he deserves.”
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — A Bad Bunny fan who was visiting Puerto Rico for the hip-hop star’s concert residency was fatally shot early Sunday in La Perla, a popular seaside shantytown in the capital, police said.
The victim was identified as Kevin Mares, a 25-year-old who lived in New York, according to a police statement.
The shooting happened in the predawn hours at a nightspot called Shelter for Mistreated Men in La Perla, a coastal community of San Juan that has struggled to shed its dark reputation.
Homicide detective Sgt. Arnaldo Ruiz said in a phone interview that the shooting took place when several people near Mares began arguing and one pulled out a gun and shot at least three people, including Mares. Two other men, who live in La Perla, were injured and remain hospitalized.
Ruiz said Mares was an innocent bystander. He was with three other friends who told police they were in Puerto Rico for one of Bad Bunny’s 30 concerts, which have attracted tens of thousands of visitors to the U.S. territory, where the artist was born.
Mares was shot on the left side of his abdomen and was taken to Puerto Rico’s largest public hospital, where he died, authorities said.
Ruiz said police don’t yet know what the people were arguing about and don’t have a description of the shooter. “We have very little information,” he said.
Ruiz added that Mares’ three friends also were from New York. He didn’t know their hometowns.
La Perla is on the outskirts of a historic district popular with tourists known as Old San Juan. A couple hundred people live in the shantytown, which once served as Puerto Rico’s biggest distribution point for heroin and was known for its violence.
Police used to avoid the community, which used to have a sign proclaiming, “Not open to visitors. Do not enter.”
But violence eased when hundreds of federal agents raided the slum in 2011 and arrested dozens of people, including a well-known community leader who was later convicted.
The neighborhood became even safer and more welcoming after Puerto Rican singers Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee featured it in their hit “Despacito.”
But isolated violence persists.
In February 2023, three tourists were stabbed after police said a person told them to stop filming inside the community.
In April of last year, a 24-year-old tourist from Delaware was killed and his body set on fire after police said he and a friend were attacked after a drug purchase. Police said the victims were trying to take pictures of La Perla after being warned not to do so.
The island of 3.2 million people has reported 277 killings so far this year, compared with 325 killings in the same period last year.
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — The Trump administration has dismissed five out of seven members on Puerto Rico’s federal control board that oversees the U.S. territory’s finances, sparking concern about the future of the island’s fragile economy. The five fired are all Democrats.
A White House official told the Associated Press on Tuesday that the board “has been run inefficiently and ineffectively by its governing members for far too long and it’s time to restore common sense leadership.”
Those fired are board Chair Arthur Gonzalez, along with Cameron McKenzie, Betty Rosa, Juan Sabater and Luis Ubiñas. The board’s two remaining members — Andrew G. Biggs and John E. Nixon — are Republicans.
Sylvette Santiago, a spokesperson for the board, said they are in touch with the White House.
The board was created in 2016 under the Obama administration, a year after Puerto Rico’s government declared it was unable to pay its more than $70-billion public debt load and later filed for the biggest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history.
In remarks to the AP, the White House official claimed the board had operated ineffectively and in secret and said it “shelled out huge sums to law, consulting and lobbying firms.” The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the subject, also accused the board’s staff of receiving “exorbitant salaries.”
Puerto Rico is struggling to restructure more than $9 billion in debt held by the state’s Electric Power Authority, with officials holding bitter mediations with creditors demanding full payment.
It’s the only Puerto Rico government debt pending a restructuring, with the White House official accusing the board of preferring to “extend the bankruptcy.”
In February, the board’s executive director, Robert Mujica Jr., said it was “impossible” for Puerto Rico to pay the $8.5 billion that bondholders are demanding. He instead unveiled a new fiscal plan that proposed a $2.6-billion payment for creditors. The plan does not call for any rate increases for an island that has one of the highest power bills in any U.S. jurisdiction as chronic power outages persist, given the grid’s weak infrastructure.
Alvin Velázquez, a bankruptcy law professor at Indiana University, said he worries the dismissal of the board members could spark another crisis in Puerto Rico.
“This is really about getting a deal out of [the power company] that is not sustainable for the rate payers of Puerto Rico,” he said.
Velázquez, who was chair of the unsecured creditors committee during the bankruptcy proceedings, also questioned whether the dismissals are legal, since board members can only be removed for just cause.
“What’s the cause?” he said. “What you’re going to see is another instance in which the Trump administration is taking on and testing the courts.”
The dismissals were first reported by the Breitbart News Network, a conservative news site.
A young woman emerged from the dark into a green and bushy clearing. Under the faux moonlight, she wandered the stage, speaking to herself. “Where’s my camera? I can’t believe I lost it. All my memories were there,” she said with a pang of panic in her voice.
Moments later, a young man surfaced from the same spot. His eyes scanned the area as well, with a pained look on his face. “Have you seen my drums?” When he plays his drums his heart races, he explained; his people feel joy, and the living, the dead and even the stars dance. “It’s like all our memories are there too,” he said.
With this poignant intro, Bad Bunny kicked off the “locals only” opening night of his 30-show residency in San Juan — which, for the first three weekends, will only be accessible to those who can show proof of their residence in Puerto Rico.
Taking place each weekend at the José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum, affectionately referred to as El Choli by locals, the concert series revolves around his latest album, “Debí Tirar Más Fotos,” and was advertised with name “No me quiero ir de aquí,” which translates to “I don’t want to leave here.” It’s a refrain that’s been associated with the artist since he used it as a lyric in his 2022 ode to his homeland, “El Apagón,” and he considers it still resonant today.
A celebration of Puerto Rican identity, a fighting spirit shaped indelibly by its music and history, “Debí Tirar Más Fotos” also urges its listeners that time is not to be taken for granted, and the past, present and future are not just distinct phases but one whole, inextricably tied together.
(Lorenzo Lagares/For Los Angeles Times)
Fans that flocked to the opening weekend concerts were treated to Benito at the apex of his talents, not to mention his stamina. For three hours and over 35 songs, he danced, strutted and sang to the approving roar of over 15,000 in attendance. The show opened with rumbles of bomba y plena, and an unreleased track that got the crowd buzzing — followed by popular recent bangers like “Ketu Tecré,” “El Clúb” and “Pitorro de Coco.” He then regaled the crowd with a catwalk performance of “Kloufrens” and “Weltita,” which featured an appearance by Chuwi, the beloved tropical jazz quartet from Isabela.
The two stages were grandiose, both in size and production quality. The main stage was a reproduction of a hill, made to approximate the lush foliage found in Puerto Rico’s rainforest and central hillside towns. On one side, you could spy the two iconic Monobloc chairs from the album’s cover, and on the other, a flamboyán tree blossoming with red flowers. On the opposite end of the coliseum’s arena was a pristine pink vacation home, built to mirror the one from the short film that debuted along with the album.
That film introduced the characters of Old Man, played by acclaimed Puerto Rican filmmaker Jacobo Morales, and Concho, the sweet-natured Puerto Rican crested toad voiced by Kenneth Canales, which was brought to life by the stop-motion work of Quique Rivera. The two unlikely housemates returned in two new vignettes shown at the concert, in which they live in a cabin in the middle of snowy woods. Concho misses the Caribbean warmth, and feels very far away from home. A kind Morales reminds him: “We’re Puerto Rican no matter where we are, and even from afar we defend what’s ours.”
Remember, he says while looking straight at the camera, Puerto Rico is “the real calentón.” This cued a barrage of images that flashed across the screen, showing photos of historic protests and civil disobedience carried out over the decades by revolutionary Puerto Ricans.
(Lorenzo Lagares/For Los Angeles Times)
Benito reappeared under the flamboyán tree, where he was joined by guitarist Antonio Caraballo. Here, we got some of his lovelorn “Sad Bunny” persona as they reinterpreted acoustic versions of older hits like “Si Estuviésemos Juntos,” “Ni Bien Ni Mal” and “Amorfoda” before ending with “Turista.” All the while, Benito waxed philosophically to the audience, commiserating about matters of the heart.
From here, the action swiftly moved from the countryside to the pink house which suddenly filled with dancers in club wear — and Benito’s longtime tour DJ Orma. Those craving a rowdy perreo party got their wish, as his salsa-dembow hybrid track “Nuevayol” launched a 16-song stretch of frenzied, sweaty reggaeton and trap bops. Bouncing feverishly from “Titi Me Preguntó” and “La Jumpa” to “Yo Perreo Sola” and “Efecto,” Benito transformed the coliseum into a nightclub.
James and Benito have a friendship going back several years, and it’s hard to blame the superstar for wanting to hang with his pal — even if said pal is an American — during a concert by an artist who is not really vibing with the United States right now. But then again, if the home we see on stage is supposed to represent an Airbnb owned by non-Puerto Ricans — which is what was narratively implied — Benito might as well flex and bring in some elite gringos. Chants of “MVP! MVP!” rang out at one point, provoking the four-time NBA champion to throw up a hand heart gesture to the crowd. It’s all love.
That being said: “LeBron James sat on an air conditioner and danced while Bad Bunny sang ‘Safaera’” is a ridiculous Mad Libs sentence that actually happened.
As he paced from side to side on the house’s rooftop, Benito would again touch on the topic of time. “You get so caught up in the euphoria of the moment that you forget to appreciate the present,” he said. He asked the crowd to put their phones away and focus on the next song, and on whoever is accompanying them, or even someone across the aisle who has caught their eye. “This is the moment to act,” he added, and ask them for a dance, just before the thrust of “Eoo,” made famous from his sensual Calvin Klein underwear ad, got the whole building quaking.
Puerto Rican plena ensemble Los Pleneros de la Cresta appeared to interpret “Café Con Ron,” as well as one of their own songs, “Ábreme Paso,” which gave way to a second video vignette. It showed Morales’ Old Man leaving the cabin and trudging through a snowstorm, until he ran into Benito’s musical director Julito Gastón — the young man from the opening skit — sitting behind his drum. As they lock eyes, Morales leaves him with a word of advice that’s not just about the music, but the core of his being: “Never stop playing your drums.”
(Lorenzo Lagares/For Los Angeles Times)
Bad Bunny resurfaced, looking a bit more subdued. He spoke softly, but sternly, about Puerto Rico and its struggle against gentrification and government neglect. “We have to protect this land,” he said. “We have to protect what’s ours if we want our children to make a life here.” He followed it up by crooning “Lo Que Le Pasó A Hawaii,” the solemn décima all about how the archipelago is being threatened existentially.
An animated crash course in salsa history, narrated by Néstor Galán, set the scene for Benito’s touring live band, Los Sobrinos to assemble. Dressed in a vintage ‘70s garb of a Fania bandleader, Benito led the group into the last and most rousing part of the concert: a salsa reimagining of “Callaíta,” which gave way to to “Baile Inolvidable” and “Dtmf.” The crowd leapt to their feet, twirling and stepping to the rhythms.
Before he launched into the opening freestyle of “La Mudanza” he paused to gather himself; he took off his sunglasses to reveal his eyes had welled up with tears and gratefulness. As the image of a giant Puerto Rican flag graced the ceiling, he motioned for everyone to sing and scream the final lyrics in unison: “Nobody’s taking me from here, I’m not moving anywhere, tell ‘em this is my home, where my grandfather was born, I’m from P f—in’ R!”
In the lead-up to last year’s gubernatorial elections, Bad Bunny spent hundreds of thousands of his own money buying ad space on billboards across Puerto Rico urging its citizens to not vote for the ruling party, accusing them of being the main culprits of the island’s woes. The ads consisted of a simple, white text on a black background. In the end, the same party that has led since 2017 won reelection; and since then, the current governor, Republican Party member Jenniffer González-Colón, has only continued to be mired in controversy.
When entering the concert area, the large screens over the main stage showed one message with white letters on a black background: “Yo Te Lo Dije,” or “I Told You So.” When the show was over and everyone began to trickle out, a new message appeared, recognizable to all: “No Me Quiero Ir De Aquí.”
With his residency, Bad Bunny issues a rallying cry for Puerto Ricans: Act now. Change the future, so that you don’t regret the past. And most importantly, never stop playing your drums.
Agent seized 1,155 pounds of cocaine with a street value of about $15 million south of Cabo Rojo Puerto Rico. Photo by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol.
June 25 (UPI) — U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized 1,155 pounds of cocaine with a street value of about $15 million south of Cabo Rojo. Puerto Rico, two days after a vessel with 18 pounds of cocaine was found nearby in Rincon.
CPB’sAir and Marine Operations interdicted a vessel shortly before midnight Tuesday in western Puerto Rico and arrested three people from the Dominican Republic without proper documentation to enter or remain in the United States.
The 30-foot yola-type vessel had outboard engines and carried three people, navigating north about 22 miles south of Cabo Rojo.
The Coastal Interceptor vessel was supported by an AMO UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter.
The FBI took custody of the three people as well as a rifle. The Drug Enforcement Administration assumed custody of the narcotics.
“This successful interdiction highlights the critical role maritime domain awareness plays in securing our nation’s borders,” Creighton Skeen, deputy director of Air and Marine Operations in the Caribbean, said. “Our teams are committed to protecting the homeland by stopping drug trafficking before they reach U.S. shores.”
On Sunday, CBP’s Caribbean Air and Marine Operations detected a suspected vessel approximately 3 nautical miles southwest of Black Eagle beach in Rincon.
The 22-foot white vessel with a 60-horsepower engine was beached along the shoreline, CBP said.
The Ramey Sector, which encompasses U.S. territorial islands of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, is the only Border Patrol Sector located outside the continental United States.
It encompasses 6,000 square miles of land and water.
The 31-year-old “Nuevayol” singer posted to Instagram a video, with commentary, of ICE agents conducting a raid on the island.
“Look, those mother— are in these cars, RAV4s. They’re here on [Avenida] Pontezuela,” he said of the officials arriving in the Puerto Rican city of Carolina, “instead of leaving the people alone and working.”
Since the onset of President Trump’s second term, the U.S. territory has been subjected to ICE raids, which have targeted the island’s largely Dominican immigrant population. For years, immigrants from the neighboring Caribbean island have been allowed to open bank accounts and obtain special driver’s licenses that indicate their immigration status. The Associated Press estimates that over 55,000 people from the Dominican Republic live in Puerto Rico.
Rebecca González-Ramos, ICE’s top investigator in Puerto Rico, told NPR that the agency has made nearly 500 arrests, of which roughly 75% have involved Dominicans. NPR further noted that fewer than 80 of the 500 people arrested have a criminal record, with the most common charge being reentry into the country following a deportation.
An added barrier for those apprehended on the island is that they must be transferred to the U.S. mainland to be processed.
“It’s something that creates a great difficulty because people who had ongoing immigration cases here have been detained — meaning their legal representation is in Puerto Rico,” ACLU lawyer Annette Martínez Orabona said in a news conference earlier this month. “I know it’s terrible anywhere in the United States, but in Puerto Rico’s case, it’s worse because we are not contiguous to the mainland. It’s not a matter of just getting in a car and getting there.”
Bad Bunny’s calling out of ICE’s activities comes as other major Latin American music acts have used their platforms to condemn the ICE raids and align their sympathies with immigrants. Becky G, Ivan Cornejo, Fuerza Regida, Junior H, Grupo Frontera and Maná are among the acts to have voiced concerns recently for the immigrant community.
