The U.S. government claims the operation dealt a decisive blow to drug trafficking, but it has shown no evidence that the people killed (at least 27 so far) were drug smugglers.
“U.S. officials committed murder and violated our sovereignty in our territorial waters,” Colombian President Gustavo Petro told X. “The fisherman Alejandro Carranza had no connections with drug traffickers and his daily activity was fishing.”
Carranza was reportedly killed in a U.S. military boat attack while fishing in the Caribbean in September, according to a family video testimony the president shared with X.
Experts say such summary killings are illegal, even if they target confirmed drug traffickers.
“The Colombian ship was adrift and was sending out a distress signal,” Petro said of the collision that killed Carranza.
“We are awaiting clarification from the U.S. government.”
MNA/