The coastal city of Güiria, a longtime hub for smuggling and illicit maritime trade in northeastern Venezuela, is experiencing severe economic disruption and heightened government surveillance following U.S. military strikes on boats suspected of drug trafficking.

The city, home to roughly 40,000 residents, has relied for years on the movement of drugs, contraband, food, and consumer goods between Venezuela and nearby Caribbean nations.

Reuters reported Friday that the recent U.S. operations have stopped nearly all boat departures from the area, leaving local commerce at a standstill.

“There was only movement in stores recently because of government bonus payments; otherwise, there’s no money circulating,” one merchant told Reuters.

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The resident added that all boat activity has halted.

“No boats of any kind are leaving … not migrants, not people buying goods there to sell here, and certainly not those taking Venezuelan products to sell there, which was another way to make money. Everything is practically dead.”

Families of several men from Güiria who were believed to have been killed during the U.S. strikes said they were visited shortly afterward by Venezuelan police and intelligence agents.

Venezuela’s socialist government is considered illegitimate by the United States and numerous other countries.

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According to Reuters, the relatives requested anonymity out of concern for their safety and said authorities searched their homes and warned them not to discuss the deaths publicly.

They also said they have received no official notification and have not been able to recover bodies.

Security forces began expanding their presence in Güiria in mid-September.

Residents have reported frequent patrols by personnel from the Directorate General of Military Counterintelligence (DGCIM) and the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (SEBIN).

Reuters cited accounts of a former resident who said the DGCIM established a “command center” in a state-owned hotel in a resort area near the city, which has contributed to a decline in normal public activity.

“The people in town know there are individuals who are not part of the community, not from there. People walking around like civilians, but they belong to government intelligence,” the former resident said, according to Reuters.

“There’s so much secrecy – no one talks about it because they don’t know if someone is listening.”

The DGCIM remains under investigation by the International Criminal Court and has been sanctioned by the United States.

The agency has been accused of extrajudicial executions, torture, and other abuses. SEBIN has carried out surveillance against journalists, political opponents, and additional groups, according to Reuters.

Conditions in Güiria have continued to deteriorate as the United States increases its military presence around Venezuela.

Approximately 10% of U.S. naval assets are currently positioned in the region.

Since Sept. 2, U.S. forces have conducted 21 strikes on vessels believed to be involved in narcotrafficking, resulting in more than 80 deaths.

In mid-October, President Donald Trump authorized covert CIA operations in Venezuela.

In mid-November, the U.S. government designated the Venezuelan Cartel de los Soles as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, stating that Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro heads the cartel.

Trump said Thursday in remarks to service members that U.S. operations targeting alleged drug traffickers in Venezuela may expand beyond maritime activity to include land-based actions.

To all Airlines, Pilots, Drug Dealers, and Human Traffickers, please consider THE AIRSPACE ABOVE AND SURROUNDING VENEZUELA TO BE CLOSED IN ITS ENTIRETY. Thank you for your attention to this matter! PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 29, 2025

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