A cutting-edge camera system of Canadian origin was reportedly utilized in the controversial U.S. operations targeting suspected Venezuelan drug vessels, as per findings from the NGO Project Ploughshares shared exclusively with CBC’s visual investigations team. The analysis conducted by CBC compared the Project Ploughshares report to product manuals and existing videos, alongside discussions with former military and defense industry experts, indicating a high likelihood of Canadian technology being employed for surveillance during the missions.
Kelsey Gallagher, a senior researcher at Project Ploughshares, emphasized the necessity for enhanced human rights oversight, expressing concerns over the misuse of Canadian weaponry in such operations. The report highlighted the deployment of a Canadian-manufactured L3Harris WESCAM MX-Series sensor system by the U.S. military to monitor and track vessels targeted in the strikes originating from Venezuela.
L3Harris WESCAM declined to comment on the matter, stating a policy of refraining from discussing military missions. The U.S. military executed five strikes in the Caribbean, starting the previous month, aiming at ships allegedly engaged in drug smuggling and linked to “narcoterrorists,” according to President Donald Trump.
The legality of these strikes has been called into question by experts, suggesting potential violations of international human rights and maritime laws. Alexander Avina, an associate professor at Arizona State University, suggested that Canada could be complicit in what some view as war crimes committed by the Trump administration in the Caribbean basin.
Both the White House and the U.S. Department of Defense defended the strikes, asserting they were conducted against a terrorist organization in self-defense and in accordance with laws of armed conflict. The U.S. administration classified the situation as a “non-international armed conflict,” designating the suspected drug smugglers as “unlawful combatants.”
Global Affairs Canada acknowledged the U.S. operation and confirmed monitoring the situation. Project Ploughshares’ report highlighted the use of Canadian surveillance technology in the initial strikes, identifying visual similarities between the Venezuela strike videos and previously known MX-Series systems.
The MX-Series systems, described as electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) systems, support various missions across air, land, and maritime domains, catering to military, police, and search-and-rescue operators. Manufactured in Canada by L3Harris WESCAM, a subsidiary of L3Harris Technologies, the MX-Series systems have been exported to nearly 90 countries, with the U.S. Department of Defense identified as a major customer.
Project Ploughshares previously identified the use of exported WESCAM MX-Series systems in other conflict zones, drawing parallels between the visual elements in the Venezuelan strike videos and footage from other regions utilizing similar systems. The investigation also noted similarities in graphical displays and blurs between the various video feeds, indicating a potential connection to the deployed EO/IR systems.
Experts called for a review of Canada’s arms export relationship with the U.S., emphasizing the need to address loopholes to prevent potential misuse of Canadian defense exports. Concerns were raised by legal experts regarding the compliance of the strikes with international human rights and maritime laws, questioning the legality of the actions taken by the Trump administration.
