Family of missing Colombian seek answers after US strike on alleged drug boat

November 21, 2025

The US has been conducting military strikes against alleged drug-trafficking vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific since September, killing 83 people across at least 21 strikes according to official statements. Among the casualties may be Alejandro Carranza, a Colombian fisherman whose family says he departed Venezuela before the first strike was announced, though they lack confirmation of his death. The Trump administration claims these operations constitute self-defense against narco-terrorists threatening American lives, invoking wartime powers by declaring a "non-international armed conflict" with drug cartels.

Who is affected

Alejandro Carranza (Colombian fisherman, possibly killed in the strike) and his five children
Lizbeth Perez (Carranza's niece) and approximately 20 family members living together
83 people killed across at least 21 US strikes
Colombian citizens identified as being on boats that were struck
Fishermen in the Caribbean region, including 81-year-old Juan Assis Tejeda and others working near the Venezuela-Colombia border
Fishing communities in Taganga, Gaira, and other villages along Colombia's Caribbean coast
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his government
US citizens (cited as victims of drug trafficking)

What action is being taken

The US is conducting military strikes against alleged drug-trafficking boats in the Caribbean and Pacific
President Petro has ordered Colombian public security forces to suspend intelligence sharing with the US
US lawyer Daniel Kovalik is preparing to sue the US government on behalf of Carranza's family
The US state department intends to designate the Cartel de los Soles as a foreign terrorist organization on Monday
Drones are flying over and monitoring fishermen in the region

Why it matters

This represents a significant escalation in US counternarcotics policy, with the Trump administration invoking wartime powers by declaring a "non-international armed conflict" with drug cartels to justify lethal force without due process. The strikes raise serious international law concerns about extrajudicial killings of civilians, as international law prohibits military forces from killing civilians engaged in criminal activity unless they pose an imminent violent threat. The operations are straining US-Colombia relations and creating fear among legitimate fishermen who work in the same waters, while potentially serving broader geopolitical objectives regarding Venezuela's government beyond stated counternarcotics goals.

What's next

The US state department intends to designate the Cartel de los Soles as a foreign terrorist organization on Monday
Daniel Kovalik intends to file a lawsuit against the US government on behalf of Carranza's family
Trump stated the US "may be having some discussions with Maduro," and Maduro responded saying he would be prepared to talk "face to face"
There is speculation about whether the US will strike targets on Venezuelan soil itself

Read full article from source: BBC