Colombian President Gustavo Petro has sharply criticized the United States for launching missile strikes on alleged drug-trafficking boats in the Caribbean Sea. Speaking in an interview with the BBC during the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Petro called the attacks an “act of tyranny” and warned that they could amount to extrajudicial killings.
Since the strikes began earlier this month, US officials under President Donald Trump have claimed the operations are necessary to stop the flow of fentanyl and other illegal narcotics into the country. Reports suggest that 17 people have been killed, though Washington has released limited details about the targets.
Petro questioned the use of lethal force at sea. “Why launch a missile if you could simply stop the boat and arrest the crew? That’s what one would call murder,” he said. He stressed that Colombia has long worked with American agencies on maritime cocaine seizures without bloodshed. “There is no need to kill anyone,” he added.
The Colombian leader argued that the principle of proportionality in international law was being violated, noting that force beyond a pistol was unnecessary in such operations. United Nations experts and Democratic lawmakers in Washington have also raised concerns, describing the strikes as possible extrajudicial executions.
The Trump administration has said the operations mainly target Venezuela and criminal groups like the Tren de Aragua gang. However, critics dispute US claims about who was aboard the vessels. Trump has also labeled several Latin American cartels and organizations as terrorist groups, while reinforcing US military presence in the southern Caribbean.
Petro accused the US of humiliating South American nations. “We will not bow down to the king,” he declared, warning that Washington’s aggressive approach risks isolating itself on the world stage.
As tensions rise, Petro signaled that Colombia remains committed to cooperation against drug trafficking but will oppose what he calls unlawful killings at sea.
