Agents from the National Drug Control Directorate (DNCD), working with the Public Prosecutor’s Office and state intelligence agencies, seized 700 packages of suspected cocaine during an operation at the Caucedo Multimodal Port in Boca Chica, Santo Domingo province. Authorities profiled multiple containers in transit and identified suspicious images in one shipment. A detailed inspection revealed 14 bales containing the packages, hidden inside a container loaded with grapes. The container originated in Chile and passed through Colombia and Ecuador, transiting the Dominican Republic before heading to Belgium, Germany, Rotterdam, and the United Kingdom, where it was scheduled to be unloaded. The seizure occurred shortly after President Luis Abinader attended the “Shield of the Americas” summit in Miami, where a 17-country coalition against drug trafficking was announced.

PLD could trigger a 2028 runoff

The Dominican Liberation Party (PLD) is positioning itself to potentially f orce a presidential runoff in 2028 , which would be the first in nearly 30 years. After its 2020 election defeat, the party has intensified grassroots mobilisation and internal restructuring to rebuild its base. Party leaders aim to prevent any candidate from surpassing 50% in the first round, increasing the chances of a second-round vote. A possible Gonzalo Castillo–Margarita Cedeño ticket could split votes between the ruling PRM and the People’s Force (FP), reshaping the political landscape. Meanwhile, FP leader Leonel Fernández faces a strategic dilemma, as another presidential bid could divide the opposition vote further, complicating potential alliances despite a limited municipal pact between the two parties in 2024.

MPD slams leaders’ silence on Trump’s Spanish remark

The Dominican Popular Movement (MPD) criticised what it described as the “complicit silence” of several Latin American presidents after US President Donald Trump made a dismissive remark about the Spanish language during the “Shield of the Americas” summit. Trump reportedly joked that he would not learn Spanish, saying he did not have time to learn “your damn language.” The MPD called the comment offensive to the history, culture, and identity of Latin America and the Caribbean, noting that Spanish is spoken by more than 500 million people worldwide. The group also condemned the lack of response from leaders at the summit, arguing that none publicly challenged the remark.

Abinader at Trump’s Americas summit: energy talks with US, Bolivia ties

President Luis Abinader used the Shield of the Americas Summit in Miami, hosted by US President Donald Trump, to hold two key bilateral meetings : one with US Energy Secretary Chris Wright on energy cooperation and another with Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz Pereira to open new diplomatic and trade ties. The summit gathered more than a dozen Latin American and Caribbean leaders and focused on the creation of a new military coalition to combat drug cartels and organised crime in the hemisphere. The initiative will be led by Kristi Noem, recently appointed Special Envoy for Operation Shield of the Americas, in what analysts describe as part of Washington’s broader strategy to strengthen security and energy partnerships in the region.

PRM strengthens structure in Monte Plata ahead of 2028

PRM provincial president in Monte Plata, Víctor Pichardo, held a series of meetings across the province to strengthen the party’s structure ahead of internal processes and the 2028 elections. Accompanied by Secretary General Rafael De Luna, he visited several municipalities to organise grassroots members and promote the party’s “Verify Yourself” membership update initiative. Pichardo said the effort aims to consolidate the PRM’s base and ensure the party is prepared to retain power in future elections.

This assessment was echoed on Tuesday in The Hague, where an ICC official described the campaign as disproportionately targeting society’s most marginalised.

“Duterte’s response was a selective, violent crackdown on the most vulnerable,” said Paolina Massidda, principal counsel at the ICC Office of Public Counsel for Victims. 

“Rather than addressing the root causes of drug addiction, such as poverty, lack of education, unemployment, and inequality, the Duterte administration framed the issue as a criminal one, focusing on punitive over social responses,” Massidda added.

Human rights organisations estimate that more than 30,000 people may have been killed during the drug war — far higher than official police figures of more than 7,000 deaths. 

Victims were overwhelmingly men from poor urban communities, many of whom were unemployed or reliant on informal work.

Among those left behind is Cheryl (not her real name), whose live-in partner was killed during a police anti-drug operation in Payatas, Quezon City, in 2017. His death abruptly left her family without its main source of income.

Cheryl said that while grief was overwhelming, economic necessity quickly took precedence.

“Unang tanong ko noon, ‘Paano na kami?’ Siya ‘yung source of income. May anak kaming nagsisimula pa lang mag-aral,” Cheryl said.

(My first question then was, ‘What will happen to us?’ He was our source of income. Our child was just starting school.)

She now works as a barista at Silingan Coffee, a café in Metro Manila that employs relatives of drug war victims and provides a space for them to share their experiences with the public.

Another employee, Sharon Angeles, lost her brother during the early years of the campaign. He was 20 years old.

“Wala talaga siyang kinalaman sa droga,” Sharon said, citing an autopsy that found no evidence of drug use. “Nag-iisa pa naming lalaki ‘yon.” 

(He really had nothing to do with drugs. He was our family’s only son.) 

Despite the scale of the killings, only a small number of cases have resulted in convictions, most involving low-ranking police officers. Families of victims have long criticised domestic investigations as inadequate and biased in favour of security forces.

“Habang may buhay, may pag-asa. [Pero] ‘yung sasabihin nilang may hustisya? Sa aming mahihirap? Walang hustisya – sa mayayaman lang ‘yun,” Sharon said. 

(As long as there is life, there is hope. But when they talk about justice —for us poor people? There is no justice. That is only for the rich.)

At the ICC, prosecutors have repeatedly cited Duterte’s public statements encouraging police to kill suspected drug users and dealers as potential evidence of responsibility at the highest level of government . 

Although Duterte withdrew the Philippines from the ICC during his term, the court maintains jurisdiction over alleged crimes committed while the country was still a member.

Duterte has denied any wrongdoing and has maintained that the ICC has no jurisdiction over him.

But for families like Cheryl’s and Sharon’s, the ICC investigation represents a rare opportunity for accountability beyond the Philippine institutions they say have failed them.

“Sa bibig niya mismo nanggaling na magpupursigi talaga siya dyan sa war on drugs,” Cheryl said. “Ebidensya na ‘yon.”

(It came directly from his own mouth that he would persist with the war on drugs. That is already evidence.)

NOTE: Quotes in the story were originally reported through an interview conducted in 2023 with family members of drug war victims in the Philippines. They have been edited for clarity, length, and timeliness as the ICC conducts the confirmation of charges hearing for Duterte.

How the regional drug trade works

Colombia remains the world's largest producer and exporter of cocaine, with an estimated 80% of the global supply originating within its borders.

The nature of the illicit industry has evolved over the years, challenging the efforts of local and international law enforcement

Fentanyl vs. cocaine

Another key point missing in the discussions, and especially Donald Trump's misleading claim that each drug boat destroyed saves 25,000 American lives, is that the drugs causing America's crisis are not coming from South America. Fentanyl, produced mainly in Mexico, not cocaine, originating in Colombia and Venezuela, is the most lethal substance.

And indeed, the crisis did not begin with drug gangs. Americans were hooked by their own big businesses as pharmaceutical companies co-opted doctors to prescribe highly addictive opiates. As Jorge Rodriguez, president of Venezuela's National Assembly, put it: "If they (the USA) want to bomb something, they should bomb the headquarters of Perdue Pharma."

Maduro and the "Cartel of the Suns"

The Trump administration has labelled President Maduro the "drug dealer in chief," alleging he heads an organisation known as the "Cartel of the Suns." While the Maduro government certainly has links to the drug trade, describing it as a centrally commanded, organised cartel is misleading.

The Venezuelan state is characterised by extensive corruption, with local officials and governors taking cuts from the trade. And the links between the Venezuelan government and transnational crime groups are well documented.

However, the US government's actions - such as the recent pardoning of former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, who was convicted of drug trafficking in the US- underscore that the real issue is that Maduro is an ideological foe of the administration, not necessarily a unique threat in the drug trade.

Drugs as a livelihood

Much of the debate around the attacks on boats has centred around the question of whether those on board were drug traffickers or simple fishermen. It's impossible to know, but the difference is also not as stark as it might seem. In poor coastal regions, the drug trade is a significant part of the economy, along with agriculture and fishing.

Under most legal codes, a drug dealer or a fisherman would have the same status in law unless convicted in court: innocent.

This is where Colombian president Gustavo Petro, not a natural ally of Maduro, meets his neighbour ideologically. Both argue that the law is being ignored, and their citizens have lost their right to a trial.

Next steps

The US seizure of an oil tanker off the Venezuelan coast marks a significant escalation in the pressure exerted on Maduro. And while the Venezuelan president has already offered to resign, his terms were clearly not acceptable in Washington. Tensions are set to rise, and the people of Colombia and Venezuela, regardless of any links to the drug trade, will feel more pain.

Click here to watch our previous episodes

World Reframed is produced in London by Global South World, part of the Impactum Group. Its editors are Duncan Hooper and Ismail Akwei.

ISSN 2978-4891

The crackdown intensified in October with the arrest of Yuto Agarie, alleged leader of a trafficking group. Investigators say they found about 63.84g of etomidate-containing liquid at his home in Urasoe, which they believe was intended for sale. Local police suspect the group was the main supplier in Okinawa, where youth vaping of sedative-laced liquids has raised alarms.

Etomidate is used overseas to induce anaesthesia for surgery, but in vape form it can cause sudden loss of consciousness, loss of motor control and spasms in the hands and legs, doctors warn. The drug is being advertised on encrypted messaging apps and sold via social media , often in flavoured and unflavoured cartridges designed for e-cigarette devices.

In August and September, three Chinese men in their 20s living near Tokyo were arrested for allegedly smuggling around 100g of etomidate from India via Singapore. Japan’s Health Ministry narcotics unit says the suspects took online orders, dissolved the powder into liquid, filled cartridges and sold them repeatedly across the Tokyo area. 

Meanwhile, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime has flagged the trend and reported in March that etomidate and similar compounds have surfaced on illicit markets in East and Southeast Asia in recent years, including China.

Officials claim they killed armed criminals who resisted arrest, captured over 80 suspects, and seized dozens of rifles and drugs.

Rio’s governor described the operation as a fight against narco-terrorism and declared the city “at war .”

However, human rights groups and witnesses paint a far darker picture, calling the incident a “massacre.” Locals reported seeing bodies in the streets, some apparently shot execution-style. Others described injuries consistent with stabbings and even decapitation.

The raid comes just days before major global events in Brazil, including the Earthshot Prize and COP30 climate talks.

Unanswered questions remain, including how many of those killed were gang members and how many were innocent residents caught in the crossfire.

Critics fear the operation marks yet another escalation in Rio’s long cycle of violence between police and gangs, leaving already traumatised communities in deeper distress.

The death of 27-year-old Omar Badjie in Mandinaring has triggered nationwide outrage, with conflicting accounts deepening public mistrust of the authorities. Police said Badjie collapsed while fleeing a patrol. However, eyewitnesses allege he was beaten while in handcuffs. His family has rejected the official explanation, demanding accountability. The Gambia Police Force has issued a statement expressing condolences and pledging an investigation.

The Gambia auditor flags unreported funds in Mega Bank sale

The Auditor General’s 2023 financial report has revealed discrepancies in the sale of Mega Bank, noting that while the bank was sold for D921.2 million, only D896.8 million was recorded in government financial statements, leaving D24.4 million unreported. Of this amount, D23 million was disbursed by the Central Bank directly to Guarantee Trust Bank accounts without passing through the Consolidated Fund or Treasury Main Account. The sale of Mega Bank to KM Holdings for US$15.25 million in December 2024 drew widespread criticism, with lawmakers and civil society raising concerns over transparency.

Audit reveals $520,000 in undocumented spending by presidency

The 2023 Audit Report on The Gambia’s government accounts has found that the Office of the President disbursed over $520,000 to suppliers without the required procurement documents. This included a $14,000 business-class ticket for First Lady Fatoumatta Bah Barrow’s travel to New York. The report also noted that in November 2023, the presidency extended a soft loan of $520,000 to the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation Secretariat to cover staff salaries.

Audit finds $10.2 million discrepancy in government accounts

The National Audit Office has reported discrepancies of more than $10.2 million in The Gambia’s 2022 government financial statements. According to the audit, closing balances from 2021 were not accurately carried forward as opening balances in 2022, resulting in variances totalling $10.2 million across several government accounts.

Autopsy conducted on Omar Badjie amid disputed accounts of his death

A post-mortem examination has been carried out at the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital on the body of Omar Badjie, whose death has drawn conflicting accounts from his family, eyewitnesses, and the police. The examination was conducted by Dr. Leigh in the presence of Dr. Daffeh, representing the family, and the family’s legal counsel, Ayub Johnny Njie of AJ Njie & Associates Law Chambers, to determine the official cause of death. Badjie’s family and eyewitnesses allege he was assaulted by security officers after being found with a cannabis joint, while police claim he died after falling during a “hot pursuit” and was later pronounced dead.

That was Venezuela’s president Nicolás Maduro pitching what he clearly believes would be a blockbuster. The project sounds like a budget nightmare - who’s going to hire 252 leading actors for one film? And besides, the title could probably use some tightening. But behind the theatrics lies a serious message.

Maduro is furious with Donald Trump . Earlier this month, Trump ordered an airstrike on a Venezuelan boat, then another, and claimed to have carried out a third. He framed it as part of a clampdown on a state-sanctioned drug smuggling operation. International reaction was swift, since such extrajudicial killings are usually reserved for the gravest terrorist threats. Venezuela, under pressure to respond, turned to fiery rhetoric.

“If life puts us on the path of having to take up arms to begin an armed struggle against imperialist aggression, our people will do it with serenity, with certainty and also with joy,” Maduro warned.

Softer targets

Despite the tough talk, the last thing Venezuela - or any country - wants is open war with the United States. But Maduro doesn’t need to look far for smaller targets. On 14 September, Venezuela’s Defence Minister, Vladimir Padrino López, warned that if aggression were launched from the territory of Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela would respond in “legitimate self-defence.”

Why Trinidad and Tobago? The islands have aligned themselves with US efforts to fight organised crime, including drug, arms and human trafficking. Prime Minister Kamala Persad-Bissessar has denied that her country would ever host an invasion force, but Caracas appears eager to pick a fight it might plausibly win. The disparity is stark: Venezuela has nearly 29 million people and over 123,000 active soldiers; Trinidad and Tobago, with just 1.5 million people, can muster only about 4,000. Geography, too, makes the threat plausible - only 11 kilometres separate the nations.

And yet, the two countries once shared close ties. Trinidad was ruled from Caracas until 1802, and both remain members of CARICOM. But Trump is a divisive figure across the Americas, and his policies risk driving deeper wedges between neighbours.

He, for his part, seems pleased with his strategy.

“A lot of drugs are coming out of Venezuela… They send the Tren de Aragua, that’s the gang. They’re probably the worst gang in the world . We don’t like what Venezuela is sending us—whether it’s drugs or gang members. We don’t like it. Not one bit,” Trump told reporters.

Rather than dial things down, he has expanded his warnings to Colombia, Bolivia, Myanmar and Afghanistan - accusing them too of failing to block drug shipments. The prospect of US strikes in or around those countries suddenly feels less remote. International law, of course, forbids such attacks in international waters unless a vessel poses an imminent threat. A fishing boat, even if packed with cocaine, hardly qualifies. But the US has long been lukewarm about international enforcement mechanisms, recently going so far as to sanction members of the International Criminal Court.

That leaves smaller nations exposed. Venezuela has not only targeted Trinidad and Tobago but also escalated tensions with Guyana, reviving old claims to an oil-rich border region. Trinidad’s support for Guyana in that dispute has only fuelled animosity.

In all of this, it’s the ordinary people—especially fishermen—who end up losing. Boats seized, livelihoods destroyed, and lives caught in the middle of geopolitical posturing.

World Reframed is produced in London by Global South World, part of the Impactum Group. Its editors are Duncan Hooper and Ismail Akwei.