South America – Author Carlo Carrasco

Tren de Aragua Gang Eliminated By America At Sea

September 5, 2025September 4, 2025carlocarrasco

United States President Donald Trump really means business when it comes to protecting his nation and citizens as America eliminated a vessel from Venezuela operated by the Tren de Aragua gang carrying illegal drugs, according to a Newsmax news report. Already the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago praised the strike.

For the newcomers reading this, Tren de Aragua is a transnational criminal organization from Venezuela and its members has spread throughout Latin America and even in the United States. Tren de Aragua is officially a terrorist organization.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of Newsmax. Some parts in boldface.

President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the U.S. has carried out a strike in the southern Caribbean against a drug-carrying vessel that departed from Venezuela and was operated by the Tren de Aragua gang.

The president said 11 were killed in the operation.

“The strike occurred while the terrorists were at sea in International waters transporting illegal narcotics, heading to the United States,” Trump said in a social media posting. “No U.S. Forces were harmed in this strike. Please let this serve as notice to anybody even thinking about bringing drugs into the United States of America.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said earlier on X that the vessel was being operated by a “designated narco-terrorist organization.” He described the operation as a lethal strike.

Rubio addressed the strike on Tuesday shortly before he was scheduled to depart for Mexico and Ecuador for talks on drug cartels, security, tariffs and more.

The U.S. recently announced plans to boost its maritime force in the waters off Venezuela to combat threats from Latin American drug cartels.

The U.S. has not signaled any planned land incursion by the thousands of personnel being deployed. Still, President Nicolás Maduro’s government has responded by deploying troops along Venezuela’s coast and border with neighboring Colombia, as well as by urging Venezuelans to enlist in a civilian militia.

For clarity, posted below is the entire social media post by President Trump regarding the strike. Pay close attention to the details:

Earlier this morning, on my Orders, U.S. Military Forces conducted a kinetic strike against positively identified Tren de Aragua Narcoterrorists in the SOUTHCOM area of responsibility. TDA is a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization, operating under the control of Nicolas Maduro, responsible for mass murder, drug trafficking, sex trafficking, and acts of violence and terror across the United States and Western Hemisphere. The strike occurred while the terrorists were at sea in International waters transporting illegal narcotics, heading to the United States. The strike resulted in 11 terrorists killed in action. No U.S. Forces were harmed in this strike. Please let this serve as notice to anybody even thinking about bringing drugs into the United States of America. BEWARE! Thank you for your attention to this matter!!!!!!!!!!!

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you like what the Trump administration is doing with regards to combatting terrorists and the wave of illegal drugs coming from Latin America? What will it take to apprehend all the remaining Tren de Aragua members in the United States? Do you think bringing down the Maduro regime in Venezuela can be achieved during Trump’s 2^nd term?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 17

April 19, 2024April 19, 2024carlocarrasco

Welcome back, my readers, YouTube viewers and all others who followed this series of articles focused on YouTube videos worth watching. Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?

I recommend you check out the following topics and the related videos I found.

#1 The Garden of Eden location video – Let me start first by stating that everything in the Holy Bible (the Word of God) is absolutely true. I truly believe in the Bible and the ancient record of the creation of the world, Adam and Eve, and the Garden of Eden existed and there is nothing that science could do to refute them. Recently, YouTube channel HolyLandSite posted a video about the most likely location of the Garden of Eden, explaining in detail how it came to be, where it existed and how to properly understand what is written in the Holy Bible which truly describes it as a genuine place created by God.

#2 Mosab Hassan Yousef (son of a Hamas co-founder) proves the North American pro-Palestine believers to be very wrong, ignorant, foolish and delusional on Dr. Phil show – Mosab Hassan Yousef is the son of a Hamas co-founder, was raised with hateful teachings against Jewish people, was a Hamas member who fought against Israel, stopped being evil, repented and submitted to Lord Jesus, is now a strong supporter of Israel and has been working against the terrorists. Considering his upbringing and background, it is not surprising that he proved the pro-Palestine believers/activists to be wrong, ignorant, brainwashed and foolish! The pro-Palestine believers here are so brainwashed by Islamo-Leftists superiors, they failed to see the evil of their movement, and they do not care about the victims of the October 7, 2023 terrorist attacks on Israel committed by Hamas. Watch the videos below…

To all the pro-Palestine believers, Bill and Hillary Clinton idolaters, the woke zealots, the Satanic Democrats, the LGBTQ people, the illegal aliens, the Islamo-Leftists and those who love terrorist Yasser Arafat reading this…you are all on the wrong side of history!

If you want to truly change yourselves for good, stop being evil, repent to Lord Jesus and submit to Him with all your heart. You still have time.

#3 Contra games comparison videos plus an explanatory video – Recently, I took advantage of the Xbox online store sale to purchase the digital copy of Contra Anniversary Collection for roughly $4 and I started playing the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and the Family Computer (Famicom) versions of the classic game Contra on my Xbox Series X console. Indeed, there were notable differences between the two versions with regards to graphics and storytelling presentations. Not only that, Contra Anniversary Collection also contains the original arcade version of Contra (meant to be compared to the NES/Famicom ports) as well as the European version of Contra called Probotector. Even Contra III: The Alien Wars also had a different version in Europe. I also added one explanatory video titled Contra: From Arcade to NES & Beyond. Watch the videos below…

#4 Poltergeist movie reaction videos plus another two other related videos – Let me make it clear to all of you that I am not a fan of the 1982 supernatural horror movie Poltergeist. As a film buff, I do give Steven Spielberg, director Tobe Hooper and their production team for the creative stuff they came up with (including the visual effects) to making it stand out among the many horror movies Hollywood made over the past 40+ years. That being said, it is not surprising that Poltergeist became a popular film featured in multiple movie reaction videos by different YouTubers. Watch their reaction videos plus two related others (from Minty Comedic Arts) below…

#5 A close look at the classic game Paperboy – Way back in 1989, I visited the United States of America for the first time and I could not forget the time I spent playing in a huge video arcade in one of the fancy hotels of Las Vegas. One of the first arcade games I played back then was Paperboy which I quickly found to be a lot of fun. I liked the game so much, I kept playing it in that same arcade and years later, I played versions of it on PC and the Nintendo Entertainment System. That being said, if you have not played or discovered the classic game, you can learn all about it in this video by YouTuber PatmanQC.

#6 Caught on camera: Electric bike (e-bike) hits elderly woman who later died – Recently here in the Philippines, a major TV network reported an accident in which an elderly woman got hit hard by a moving electric bike (e-bike) driven by a man who was distracted (as caught on video and witnessed by bystanders). The elderly woman eventually died while the suspect has since been apprehended facing a charge of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide. For the newcomers reading this, there are already many cases of careless or reckless driving committed by people who drove electric bikes (e-bikes) or electric tricycles (e-trikes) on public roads along with cars, vans, buses and trucks. This latest incident does not help the case of e-bike/e-trike drivers and owners at all. Posted below is the news video about the e-bike that hit the elderly woman.

#7 Wicked Iran’s assault against Israel – I cannot stay silent about this. Iran and its terrorist proxies launched missiles and drones against Israel (which had the support of America, Jordan and others for defense). Almost 100% of the enemy projectiles were shot down. For the newcomers reading this, the conflict between Israel and Iran (the chief sponsor and source of terrorists in the Middle East) goes a long way back. The wicked regime of Iran (in power since 1979) made clear its intentions to not only destroy Israel but also other Western democracies/societies. Iran’s terrorist network also reached South America. In light of all of these, if you want truthful and accurate reports about Israel’s fight against the terrorists, rely on the content and updates of TBN Israel, CBN News, TravelingIsrael and the official Israel Defense Forces (IDF) channel. Watch the videos below and do not forget to pray to the Lord in support of Israel, the fall of their enemies, the rescue of the hostages and the peace of Jerusalem.

https://youtu.be/au47ABd2B5Y?si=WoFk6Sa4hIV219IJ

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A Look Back at Turok: Dinosaur Hunter #1 (1993)

January 4, 2024December 30, 2023carlocarrasco

Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the early 1990s and explore a part of the Valiant Comics shared universe through a tale of a very notable illustrated literature character named Turok.

I say very notable because Turok, an Indian (North American native), started in comics in the 1950s published by Western Publishing through its licensee Dell Comics. The comic book series Turok: Son of Stone started from 1956 until the early 1980s. In 1989, Valiant Comics was established by former Marvel Comics editor-in-chief Jim Shooter and business partner Steven Massarsky which was the result of a failed 1988 attempt to purchase Marvel Entertainment. In 1991, Valiant published Magnus: Robot Fighter and Solar: Man of the Atom as its early titles which is notable because both characters were licensed properties from Gold Key Comics (which itself was involved in the original Turok series).

Then in 1992, a newer version of Turok was introduced by Valiant Comics in the 12^th issue of Magnus: Robot Fighter and subsequently the character (along with established side-kick Andar) became involved in the Unity storyline which was Valiant’s first major crossover comics event. By the time Unity ended, the road was cleared for Valiant to further emphasize Turok for the modern comic book readers of the time.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Turok: Dinosaur Hunter #1, published in 1993 by Valiant Comics with a story written by David Michelinie and drawn by Bart Sears.

Early story

The story begins in Colombia (note: written as Columbia in the comic book) in South America in the year 1987. Deep in the forest, Turok performs a ritual believing that his spirit is getting cleansed and purified. He remembers the times when he and Andar discovered a land – filled with dinosaurs and other animals they never encountered previously – where time no longer held much meaning.

He and Andar got involved in an armed conflict with invaders who arrived with advanced technologies. The robot fighter Magnus then got involved and helped Turok and their side turn the tide of battle. Eventually a stunning phenomenon happened as a woman who called herself Mothergod appeared. Turok and Andar foolishly submitted themselves to her and soon, they started operating in her service with violence against those who opposed her.

After encountering Archer and Armstrong, Turok realized the error of his devotion to Mothergod and eventually joined forces with Rai, X-O Manowar and others who waged battle against her.

Back in the present, an intelligent, cybernetically enhance dinosaur attacks Turok…

Quality

*Very intense violence drawn by Bart Sears which reflected the high intensity of Turok’s fight with the dinosaurs.*

To get straight to the point here, when it comes to emphasizing a new version of Turok for comic book readers in the early 1990s, the creative team was quite successful in achieving that goal. By the time I reached the end of this comic book, Turok’s place within the huge shared universe of Valiant got established solidly and the Michelinie-Sears duo dramatized the Indian’s struggle (being lost in time and far away from where he belongs) in South America in the late 1980s.

Being lost in time and having to deal with deadly, intelligent dinosaurs brought not only the warrior within Turok but also the determine survivor in him as well. There is a good amount of character emphasis of Turok which served as an effective balance to all the spectacle (read: uncompromised bloody violence) the creative duo prepared. Instead of using thought balloons, you will read Turok’s thoughts through narration boxes all throughout which made an effective and interesting reading experience.

Considering his great skills in hunting and fighting, Turok is not really a super protagonist. He is as vulnerable as any other person and you will get to see him suffer and become so helpless, he has no choice but to avail of assistance from South American villagers who lived by the land but are themselves very vulnerable to the savagery of the intelligent dinosaurs. The symbolism regarding vulnerability as well as the ramifications of the Unity crossover on this tale is very strong. This is indeed very solid writing by Michelinie.

As for the art, Sears’ work here is very unique and his style on drawing people, monsters and locations made this comic book a visual standout among 1993 comic books. When it comes to the graphic violence, it is clear to me that Sears enjoyed the creative freedom he got and he really emphasized his imagination as to how gruesome violence caused by dinosaurs on human beings would be. That being said, there are lots of violent action scenes and images of physical damage (damage on the flesh specifically) that remain visually disturbing to this day.

Conclusion

*Very foolishly, Turok and Andar submitted themselves to a walking, evil idol. This should remind you that idolatry is both foolish and unholy.*

Turok: Dinosaur Hunter #1 (1993) works nice as modern portrayal of Turok and it succeeds in establishing his place within Valiant’s comic book universe thanks primarily to the Michelinie-Sears duo. Turok himself is not exactly an interesting protagonist to me but I can say it is the creators’ way of portraying him that makes the plot and the comic book work as an entertainment piece. I also liked the way Turok was emphasized as a character who got lost not only in time but also dimensionally lost as he has to live within a whole new world while focusing on survival as well as his desire to kill his rival Mon-Ark (the intelligent dinosaur). If you know your American pop culture history, you will realize that this comic book incidentally paved the way for the Turok video games (starting with 1997’s Turok: Dinosaur Hunter of Nintendo 64) that happened years later.

Overall, Turok: Dinosaur Hunter #1 (1993) is recommended.

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A Look Back at Superman #5 (1987)

May 24, 2023January 30, 2025carlocarrasco

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1980s culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1987 and explore a chapter of the post-Crisis DC Comics universe through a Superman tale.

To put things in perspective, John Byrne became in charge of redefining the iconic Superman during the post-Crisis age and he sure had a lot of creative freedom to not only modernize the character but also make him relevant to the public while also pleasing long-time fans. To say the least, the post-Crisis era was a time of daring concepts with the established superheroes of DC Comics. For more insight on Byrne’s handling of the Man of Steel, read my other retro comic book review by clicking here.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Superman #5, published in 1987 by DC Comics with a story written and drawn by John Byrne.

Early story

The story begins with Clark Kent having an outrageous dream in which he and Wonder Woman fight powerful enemies together. Shortly after arriving at the Daily Planet for duty, Clark learns from his boss Perry White that his office rival Lois Lane is already in South America literally digging on a significant discovery there. After being sent there by his boss, Clark flies to the south as Superman.

Upon arrival, Superman does a super speed reconnoiter at the dig site in the middle of a forest before changing back into Clark Kent. He eventually finds Lois Lane who is very surprised to see him. Even though he explained things to her, Lois remains doubtful of Clark as she still sees him as a journalistic rival who could potentially ruin her hot scoop…

Quality

*In his civilian form as Clark Kent, Superman fights the huge mummy figure.*

I can say that John Byrne’s brilliance is very evident in this comic book. Firstly, this is a story that sheds light on the journalistic rivalry between Lois and Clark that brings back memories about what happened with the Superman hot scoop in The Man of Steel limited series. Here, Lois remains doubtful about Clark and even shows some bitterness as she is on the verge of a major discovery in South America.

Secondly, this story is also an accidental adventure that creatively has a mix of Indiana Jones, UFOs and ancient horror all throughout. The build-up here is pretty strong as the tale focused strongly on the discovery aspect of the dig site which eventually led to a series of action-packed unfortunate events that really pushed Clark Kent both as civilian and as a superhero. Here, Clark has the tough task to fight an over-sized enemy (note: Byrne’s own take on the mummy) to keep Lois and the others safe while also making certain that he keeps his identity secret.

Along the way, Byrne inserted lots of in-depth details backed with observations (by the characters) which made this action-packed tale a cerebral read. This is a fine example of being creative with handling Superman while catering to readers who love spectacle as well as satisfying those who enjoy a smart presentation of the icon. In other words, there is nothing brainless or dumb to find here.

Conclusion

*The journalistic rivalry between Clark and Lois Lane is really engaging to read.*

Superman #5 (1987) is a very good read and this is fine showcase of the brilliant handling of the Man of Steel done by John Byrne. Aesthetics aside, this comic book is a relic that highlights the time when Lois and Clark were rival writers and the idea of them getting romantically involved seemed very unlikely at the time of its publishing during the early stage of the post-Crisis era. It was in many ways a defiance of the status quo of the original DC multiverse that had Lois and Superman as lovers. As an adventure, this comic book is very entertaining and engaging and the thing here is that it is only the first part of its arc.

Overall, Superman #5 (1993) is highly recommended.

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Xbox Series X and Forza Horizon 5 Premium Edition Bundle coming out for your enjoyment!

January 10, 2023January 10, 2023carlocarrasco

If you still have not yet acquired an Xbox Series X console but you already have the means to buy it, then you should seriously consider buying the Xbox Series X and Forza Horizon 5 Premium Edition Bundle once it becomes available for $559, Team Xbox announced recently. Having played Forza Horizon 5 a lot on my Xbox Series X since late 2021, I can say that the bundle is great value for you gamers as well as others struggling with inflation.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Xbox.com announcement. Some parts in boldface…

Introducing the Xbox Series X – Forza Horizon 5 Bundle, including an Xbox Series X and wireless controller, and Forza Horizon 5 Premium Edition with Hot Wheels Expansion, VIP Pass, Car Pass, Welcome Pack and a second expansion when available. This Xbox Series X bundle will be available worldwide and will start shipping to retailers in the US, Canada and select markets in Asia this week. Bundles will start shipping to Europe, Latin America, and more regions around the world later this month.

*The Xbox Series X bundled with Forza Horizon 5 and additional content offered for $559.*

Xbox Series X: 12 teraflops of raw graphic processing power, DirectX ray tracing, a custom 1TB SSD, and 4K gaming – Xbox Series X is the fastest, most powerful Xbox ever. There are thousands of playable titles from four generations of consoles, and all games look and play best on the Xbox Series X. Load times are virtually eliminated and framerates are increased with a custom-built NVMe SSD, which enables larger, more robust games to operate at their full capacity.

Forza Horizon 5 runs at 4K and 60 frames per second on Xbox Series X in performance mode and provides the most technologically advanced Forza Horizon experience yet. You’ll get to explore the vibrant and ever-evolving open world landscapes of Mexico in the world’s greatest cars with 12 teraflops of raw graphic processing power, DirectX ray tracing, a custom SSD, and 4K gaming. The power of the Xbox Series X console delivers incredible realism and immersion with a world rendered in higher detail and with extreme draw distances.

Forza Horizon 5 Premium Edition includes Forza Horizon 5 plus the Premium Edition add-ons -Forza Horizon 5: The latest entry in the open world racing series showcases powerful, all-new graphical features. Experience sweeping vistas and scan the distance to see the adventure that lies ahead. Encounter the smallest of details throughout the world, which is rendered with striking realism, down to the smallest details like the light that glows through each needle on a Cholla cactus. Our Mexican HDR sky captures illuminate the world to the point that you will feel as if you are right there. And thanks to Xbox Series X|S, ray tracing is utilized in ForzaVista to make the cars look even more true to real life.

Hot Wheels Expansion: Race 10 amazing new cars on the fastest, most extreme tracks ever devised. You can even design, build, and share your own Hot Wheels adventure! What’s not to love about that? You can blast off to the visually stunning, exhilarating Horizon Hot Wheels Park in the clouds above Mexico today.

VIP Pass: The VIP Pass features 3 exclusive Forza Edition cars, Crown Flair, Vanity Items, Emote and Car Horn, Player House, Double Credit race rewards, weekly bonus Super Wheelspins, and more to give your game a boost and make you stand out at the Horizon Festival.

Car Pass: Expand your garage with 42 new cars, including 8 Formula Drift Cars to get you started in style. Plus, you’ll receive a one-time grant of each car to your in-game garage.

Welcome Pack: 5 special pre-tuned cars, a Player House, a one-time grant to own any car from the game’s Autoshow, and 3 one-time grants for any Common or Rare clothing item.

Second Expansion: The next Forza Horizon 5 expansion will be included when it launches.

Wow! That’s a ton of gaming value for those who will buy the Xbox Series X bundled with the blockbuster game! Indeed, Team Xbox is offering big value for $559 to those who want the premium, fun console gaming experience. I myself am still having fun replaying Forza Horizon 5.

Personally, I see this premium bundle announcement as a form of warm-up on the part of Team Xbox to deliver not just more game-related features and Xbox Game Pass (XGP) content but also the big-budget Xbox-exclusive games that are expected to be released this year such as Starfield (note: first half of 2023), Forza Motorsport (2023), Redfall (note: potentially May 2023) and others. 2022 is over and ended without big budget exclusive games and this is the year that Team Xbox should deliver the great stuff that cannot be found on PlayStation and Nintendo consoles. If you want tremendous gaming value and content at a small price per month, I encourage you to subscribe to Xbox Game Pass (XGP).

Watch out for the Xbox Series X – Forza Horizon 5 premium bundle online and at the local retailers.

In concluding this article, posted below for your enjoyment are Xbox-related videos.

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