Colombian President Gustavo Petro has strongly criticized recent US airstrikes on alleged drug-trafficking boats in the Caribbean Sea, calling them an “act of tyranny.” He warned that if any Colombians died in these attacks, criminal proceedings should target US officials.
President Donald Trump defended the strikes, saying they are necessary to stop fentanyl and other illegal drugs from reaching the US. However, legal experts and lawmakers have questioned whether the attacks break international human rights laws.
Petro asked, “Why launch a missile if you could simply stop the boat and arrest the crew?” He stressed that maritime drug seizures in collaboration with US agencies have a long history, and “no one has ever died before.” He added that using excessive force violates the principle of proportionality.
The strikes mainly targeted Venezuelan waters, and the US claims that members of the Tren de Aragua gang were involved, though these reports remain disputed. UN experts have described the attacks as extrajudicial executions.
Petro also accused the Trump administration of humiliating his country and said South American nations would not “bow down to the king.” Meanwhile, the US has reinforced its naval presence in the southern Caribbean and labeled multiple Latin American criminal groups as terrorist organizations.
