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The United States has responded to claims made by Colombian President Gustavo Petro that a recent US military strike in the Caribbean targeted a Colombian vessel carrying Colombian citizens.
Some shit you should know before you dig in: While arriving in Belgium, Petro alleged that the most recent boat destroyed by US forces was of Colombian origin and carried Colombian nationals, noting that “indications show” this to be the case. He labeled the strike a violation of international law and condemned it as an act of aggression against Latin America and the Caribbean, accusing the United States of waging a covert war not against drug trafficking, but for control of oil and regional influence. On social media, Petro stated that the boat carried “poor Caribbean youth,” not narco-terrorists, and described the use of missiles as “murder,” citing a lack of proportionality and the availability of non-lethal interception methods. He called on the families of the victims to come forward and file formal complaints, and demandedthe US disclose the identities of those killed, warning that if Colombians were among them, American officials could be guilty of murder.
What’s going on now: In response to Petro’s accusations, the United States rejected his claims, calling them “baseless and reprehensible.” The administration said it expects President Petro to publicly retract his statements in order topreserve a “productive dialogue” between the two nations.
As of now, US officials have not confirmed the identities or nationalities of those killed in the strike but maintain that the targeted vessels were affiliated with drug trafficking operations. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth stated that the military only acts when there is a high degree of certainty about the nature of the threat, adding that the vessel in question was believed to be carrying narcotics through international waters.
These developments come as the US Senate narrowly rejected a resolution introduced by Democratic Senators Adam Schiff and Tim Kaine that sought to block President Trump from unilaterally authorizing military strikes in the Caribbean without congressional approval. The resolution, which failed by a vote of 48–51, was designed to reassert Congress’s authority over war powers and ensure oversight of the use of lethal force in operations that may not be covered under existing legal frameworks.
While Republicans largely opposed the measure, arguing that the strikes are legally sound and within presidential authority, critics like Senator Rand Paul warned that launching missiles at unidentified individuals without due process violates fundamental legal and ethical principles.
