Colombian President Gustavo Petro has accused the US of committing murder following a strike carried out on a boat in Colombian territorial waters in September.
In a social media post, Petro accused the US of violating his country's sovereignty and killing a Colombian fisherman.
He stated: The Colombian boat was adrift and had its distress signal up due to an engine failure when it was struck. He added, We await explanations from the US government.
This incident follows President Donald Trump's announcement that the US had targeted a drug-carrying submarine, resulting in the deaths of two individuals.
Trump claimed that US intelligence confirmed the vessel was loaded up with mostly Fentanyl, and other illegal narcotics. This attack is notable as it marks at least the sixth US strike on vessels in the Caribbean Sea in a brief period, with this being the first confirmed instance of survivors.
Petro stated: US government officials have committed a murder and violated our sovereignty in territorial waters. Fisherman Alejandro Carranza had no ties to the drug trade and his daily activity was fishing. The Colombian boat was adrift and had its distress signal up due to an engine failure.
Carranza was reportedly killed on 15 September when US forces fired on his fishing boat in the Caribbean.
Trump has defended the ongoing strikes, claiming they are part of efforts to curb drug trafficking from Latin America into the US. However, his administration has not provided details on the identities of those aboard the struck vessels.
Human rights experts from the UN have labeled the US strikes as extrajudicial executions.
Previous attacks have resulted in at least 27 fatalities in the waters off Venezuela, according to US figures. Trump asserted that the targeted submarine was designed for transporting large quantities of drugs, stating, This was not an innocent group of people.
The escalation of military action against drug trafficking in the Caribbean has ignited tensions, with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro accusing the US of attempting to dominate the region.
In recent weeks, Trump has intensified threats against Venezuela, basing attacks on claims that the nation is a primary source of drugs entering the US.
As Colombia navigates this complex international landscape, the ramifications for local communities and indigenous fishermen remain serious as operations continue to escalate in areas vital to their livelihoods.
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