GEOFF BENNETT: The U.S.

military announced this# week that the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier## has reached Caribbean waters off South America's# northern coast, part of the Trump administration's## escalating pressure campaign on Venezuela and# its broader effort to combat drug trafficking.

In recent months the U.S.# has killed dozens of people## it describes as narco-terrorists off# the coasts of Venezuela and Colombia,## prompting an outcry across the region# from governments and human rights groups.

As Nick Schifrin reports, it's all part# of the administration's increasingly## aggressive approach to its relations# with many countries across Latin America.

NICK SCHIFRIN: The world's largest aircraft# carrier has arrived in the Caribbean with## its strike group of more than 4,000# sailors, dozens of combat aircraft,## warships, even submarines joining an# already large deployment of ships,## far more firepower than could ever be needed# to continue the administration's campaign## that's destroyed 19 fishing boats allegedly# carrying drugs and killing at least 75.

This new war on drugs also designed to# pressure Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

NORAH O'DONNELL, CBS News Anchor:# On Venezuela in particular,## are Maduro's days as president numbered?

DONALD TRUMP, President of the United# States: I would say yes.

I think so, yes.

NICK SCHIFRIN: This week, Venezuela's# military launched televised nationwide## military exercises vowing a -- quote# -- "armed struggle" against the U.S.

VLADIMIR PADRINO LOPEZ, Venezuelan Defense# Minister (through translator): We are lovers## of peace.

We deeply love peace.. they will find us here a people determined# to defend this homeland to the death.

NICK SCHIFRIN: The administration's# stated goal is to prevent drugs from## transiting through Central America to# the United States.

For that, the U.S.

and## Colombian militaries and intelligence# services have long worked together.

But yesterday on X, Colombian President# Gustavo Petro wrote that Colombia## would -- quote -- "suspend the sending# of communications and other dealings with## U.S.

security agencies as Long as the missile# attacks on boats in the Caribbean persist."

And I'm now joined by Juanita Goebertus Estrada,# the Americas director of Human Rights Watch,## who is also a former member of Congress# and national security official in Colombia.

Thanks very much.

Welcome to the "News Hour."

As I just mentioned, Colombian# President Gustavo Petro says he## has cut off military and intelligence# sharing from the United States.

So## what's the significance of his saying# this, assuming that he follows through?

JUANITA GOEBERTUS ESTRADA, Human Rights# Watch: This will have a very important,## significant impact on the capacity of Colombia# to combat different organized crime groups## that operate within the country and that I# have to say threaten civil society leaders,## human rights defenders, environmental defenders.

They recruit children constantly.

On# the other hand, it is true that the## different attacks on vessels in the# Caribbean and the Pacific are very## clearly human rights violations.

And# it's understandable from that point of## view that the Colombian government# would cease to share intelligence.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Well, let me ask you about that.

The administration's defenders say interdiction,## which has been historically the U.S.

approach# to these boats, has failed for decades.

And the## administration calls these traffickers -- quote --# "narco-terrorists," members of foreign terrorist## organizations who represent imminent threats# to Americans because they're delivering drugs.

What's your response to that?

JUANITA GOEBERTUS ESTRADA: These are# very clearly extrajudicial.. These are organized crime groups, at best,# who need to be defeated in a court of law.## That's what a rule of law is meant to be, is# that you collect evidence, you prosecute people.

You don't go executing people just on# the assumption that they're criminals.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Let's switch to the Trump# administration's immigration policy.

Earlier this year, in March and April,# the U.S.

very publicly deported about## 250 Venezuelans to El Salvador,# accusing them of being members## of Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan organized# crime group.

They arrived at night shackled## and were deposited into the notorious Center# for Terrorism Confinement Prison, or CECOT.

Today, you released a new report about what# happened next titled -- quote -- "You Have## Arrived in Hell."

What happened# when they arrived in CECOT?

JUANITA GOEBERTUS ESTRADA: They were welcomed# by the guards that told them that they had## arrived in hell.

And they were day in and# day out beaten with batons, with kicks,## with their fists.

Some of them were convulsing# on the floor.

Some of them threw up blood.

Some of them even reported choking on# their own blood.

This was systematic## torture during the almost four# months that they spent there.

And## the U.S.

government knew very clearly# where they were sending these people.

NICK SCHIFRIN: We saw a visit earlier this# year from the Department of Homeland Security,## Kristi Noem, into CECOT.

Why do you say --# or why are you so certain that the U.S.,## one, knew this torture was happening, and, two,## had an obligation to know that, and therefore# not send these people to this prison?

JUANITA GOEBERTUS ESTRADA:# There was significant reporting,## including by Human Rights Watch, but also# other organizations, showing that the## penitentiary criminal justice system in# El Salvador was constantly having these## kinds of torture patterns, hundreds# of people that have died in jail.

And then, most importantly, the# U.S.

paid the Salvadorian government## $4.7 million to receive these people.

So it# was a very clear contract.

That implies and## it's our conclusion that, as a result# of this, the U.S.

Trump administration## was complicit in acts of torture and acts of# enforced disappearance of these Venezuelans.

NICK SCHIFRIN: I asked the White# House today about your accusations,## and this is the statement they sent me --# quote -- "President Trump is committed to## keeping his promises to the American people# by removing dangerous criminal and terrorist## illegal aliens who pose a threat to the American# public.

PBS should spend their time and energy## amplifying the stories of Angel parents whose# innocent American children have tragically## been murdered by vicious illegal aliens that# President Trump is removing from the country."

Were these people -- quote# -- "criminal and terrorist## illegal aliens," the Venezuelans# who were sent into this prison?

JUANITA GOEBERTUS ESTRADA: They were not.

We checked criminal record.. We checked criminal records in Venezuela and# the different states throughout Latin America## that they crossed, and only 3 percent had been# convicted in the U.S.

for violent crimes.

It's## a paradox that the response of the White# House does not address the torture claims.

I assume they don't have anything to prove# that they were not involved in torture.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Juanita Goebertus# Estrada, thank you very much.

JUANITA GOEBERTUS ESTRADA:# Thank you for having me.