In 2001, a young American missionary and her daughter were tragically killed in Peru by a U.S.-led program that mistook their plane for drug smugglers. This devastating incident has recently resurfaced in light of President Trump’s controversial boat strikes in Venezuela, bringing renewed attention to the issue of airborne imperialism.
The story of Veronica Bowers and her seven-month-old daughter Charity is one that has haunted many for nearly two decades. The mother and daughter were on a humanitarian mission in Peru, working to help impoverished communities and spread the word of God. However, their lives were cut short when their small plane was shot down by a U.S. surveillance plane, which mistakenly believed it to be carrying drugs.
This tragic event sparked outrage and raised questions about the U.S. government’s use of military force in the name of the war on drugs. It also shed light on the dangerous consequences of unchecked imperialism and the disregard for innocent lives in pursuit of a misguided agenda.
Fast forward to present day, and we see history repeating itself in a different part of the world. President Trump’s recent decision to authorize boat strikes in Venezuela, under the guise of fighting drug trafficking, has once again brought the issue of airborne imperialism to the forefront.
The boat strikes, which have been carried out by U.S. Navy ships in the Caribbean Sea, have resulted in the deaths of several Venezuelan citizens. While the U.S. claims that these individuals were involved in drug trafficking, there is little evidence to support these claims and many have raised concerns about the legality and morality of these actions.
What is particularly alarming about these boat strikes is the lack of transparency and accountability. The U.S. government has not provided any concrete evidence to justify these attacks, and there is no clear protocol for determining who is a legitimate target. This has led to innocent civilians being caught in the crossfire, just like Veronica and Charity Bowers were in 2001.
Furthermore, the U.S. government’s actions in Venezuela raise questions about its true intentions. Is this really about fighting drug trafficking, or is it a thinly veiled attempt at exerting control over a sovereign nation? The U.S. has a long history of intervening in Latin American countries for its own interests, often at the expense of the local population. The boat strikes in Venezuela only serve to perpetuate this pattern of imperialistic behavior.
It is time for the U.S. government to take a hard look at its actions and the consequences they have on innocent lives. The deaths of Veronica and Charity Bowers should serve as a reminder that the pursuit of a misguided agenda can have devastating consequences. We cannot continue to turn a blind eye to the collateral damage caused by our actions.
As citizens of a democratic nation, it is our responsibility to hold our government accountable and demand transparency and accountability in its actions. We must also question the effectiveness of the war on drugs and push for alternative solutions that do not involve military force and disregard for human life.
In the words of Veronica Bowers’ husband, Jim, “We need to be careful about how we use our power and our might.” Let us honor the memory of Veronica and Charity Bowers by learning from their tragic deaths and working towards a more just and peaceful world. The lives of innocent civilians should never be sacrificed in the name of imperialism.
