Colombia accuses US of 'murder' after strike on boat

October 19, 2025

Colombian President Gustavo Petro has accused the US of murdering a Colombian fisherman named Alejandro Carranza and violating sovereignty during a strike on a boat in Colombian waters in September. This accusation comes amid a series of US boat strikes in the Caribbean, with President Trump recently announcing another attack on what he described as a "drug-carrying submarine" that killed two people while two survivors from Ecuador and Colombia will be returned to their countries. Trump defended these operations as necessary to combat drug trafficking, particularly fentanyl, while UN human rights experts have condemned them as "extrajudicial executions.

Who is affected

Colombian fisherman Alejandro Carranza (killed in September strike)
At least 27 people killed in previous five boat strikes
Two survivors from Ecuador and Colombia from the most recent strike
People in Colombia whose territorial waters were violated according to President Petro
Residents of Venezuela, as Trump has threatened operations against the country
US citizens who are the stated beneficiaries of reduced drug trafficking

What action is being taken

The US is conducting strikes on vessels in the Caribbean Sea, with at least six recent operations
President Trump is authorizing the CIA to conduct covert operations in Venezuela
Colombian President Petro is publicly confronting the US about the strikes and demanding explanations
The US is transferring survivors from the most recent strike to a US Navy ship
UN-appointed human rights experts are condemning the US strikes as "extrajudicial executions"

Why it matters

The strikes represent potential violations of Colombian sovereignty and international law
There are questions about whether innocent civilians like fisherman Alejandro Carranza are being killed
The operations are increasing tensions between the US and multiple Latin American nations, particularly Colombia and Venezuela
The strikes are part of the US strategy to combat drug trafficking, especially fentanyl, entering the country
The actions raise human rights concerns as UN experts have labeled them "extrajudicial executions"

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC