Colombian President Condemns US for 'Murder' After Maritime Strike

Mon Oct 20 2025 16:48:11 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Colombia's President Gustavo Petro accuses the US of violating sovereignty and causing the death of a fisherman in a recent attack on a vessel in Colombian territorial waters. The situation raises significant questions about the US's military operations in the region.

In a recent outrage, Colombian President Gustavo Petro condemned the US for a strike that allegedly killed a fisherman in Colombian waters. The incident, which took place on September 15, has provoked strong reactions over violations of sovereignty and the morality of US military actions targeting suspected drug-traffickers. President Trump defended the actions, claiming they were necessary to combat drug trafficking in the Americas.

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. Posting on X, he said: 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 follows President Donald Trump stating that the US had targeted a drug-carrying submarine on Thursday, killing two people.

Writing on social media, Trump stated US intelligence confirmed the vessel was loaded up with mostly Fentanyl, and other illegal narcotics. The attack marks at least the sixth US strike on ships in the Caribbean Sea in recent weeks, with survivors now reportedly emerging for the first time.

According to President Petro, the US government officials have committed murder and violated Colombia's sovereignty with an earlier attack in September. He revealed that fisherman Alejandro Carranza had no ties to the drug trade and was primarily engaged in fishing activities. Carranza was reportedly killed on September 15 when US forces allegedly opened fire on his fishing boat.

Trump defends these strikes as being part of efforts to stem the drug flow from Latin America into the US, although specifics regarding the vessels or identities of those onboard have not been provided by his administration.

UN-appointed human rights experts have described the US strikes as extrajudicial executions. At least 27 individuals are reported to have died in the five prior boat strikes in the waters off Venezuela, according to US administration figures. Trump subsequently justified the actions, emphasizing the targeted submarine's involvement in drug transportation.

Recent spikes in tensions have seen Trump threaten misfortune for Venezuela's leadership, claiming that the nation is contributing to the drug trade flooding into the US. The ongoing situation puts Colombia and the US's relationship under scrutiny, highlighting the complex dynamics of drug enforcement in the region.