Ecuador freed a man who survived a U.S. strike on a suspected drug-trafficking submarine after prosecutors found no evidence to detain him. Washington has deployed warships off Venezuela since August, raids that U.S. officials say target drug runners and have left at least 32 dead. The second survivor was flown to Colombia with brain trauma and will face prosecution there. Donald Trump celebrated the vessel's destruction, calling the crew terrorists and alleging it carried fentanyl; two crew died. Ecuador's president Daniel Noboa vowed to fight trafficking, while Colombia's Gustavo Petro condemned the U.S. operation as a failed strategy.

Prepared by Emily Rhodes and reviewed by editorial team.