Colombian President Gustavo Petro called on the UN General Assembly on Tuesday to call for a “criminal process” against US President Donald Trump for the US strike over drug trafficking vessels in the Caribbean.
Peter said an unarmed “poor youth” died in a strike that Washington said was part of a US anti-drug operation off the coast of Venezuela.
More than 12 people are known to have been killed on strike on at least three boats in what UN experts describe as “extrajudicial executions.”
Trump sent eight warships and submarines into the Caribbean, and over the years the largest deployment in the United States caused the fear of a Venezuela invasion.
President Nicolas Maduro condemned Trump – during his first term he tried to promote the expulsion of Venezuelan president, but he tried to influence the change of government.
Thousands of Venezuelans have joined the civilian militia in response to Maduro’s call to strengthen the country’s defense against the US “threat.”
Peter said he suspects some of the people killed in the US boat strikes are Colombians.
He argued Tuesday in New York that while many cartel bosses live in the United States, they must investigate Trump to order U.S. troops to target “young people who simply want to escape poverty.”
“The criminal process must be launched for officials from the US, including those who issued the orders, President Trump said.
Relations between the US and Colombia have become sour under Peter, the country’s first left-wing leader.