US Executes 37 in Extrajudicial Attacks on Caribbean and Pacific Vessels, Colombia Condemns

US Strikes on Drug-Smuggling Boats

Colombian President Gustavo Petro has accused the United States of carrying out extrajudicial executions at sea during a series of nine strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean and Pacific. He claims these actions violate international law and have resulted in at least 37 deaths in under two months. Mint reports that the recent attacks included two in the eastern Pacific and targeted shipments near Venezuela.

According to lnginnorthernbc.ca, the missions were conducted under former President Donald Trump’s orders and targeted vessels near Colombian waters. South China Morning Post highlights Petro’s emphasis on the steadily rising death toll, which he compared to a taxi meter to underscore the urgency and severity of the killings.

Reporting for this sectionMintlnginnorthernbc.caSouth China Morning Post

US and Diplomatic Responses to Strikes

Mint reports that Trump defended the strikes, asserting his administration’s legal authority to target vessels at sea and signaling he might expand operations onto land, potentially seeking Congressional approval. He also noted that videos were shared of boats carrying suspected drug packages being destroyed. By contrast, lnginnorthernbc.ca reports the White House dismissed Petro’s remarks and says diplomats are in dialogue with no significant progress.

The White House emphasizes the diplomatic management of the crisis rather than operational expansion. South China Morning Post’s coverage centers on Petro’s emphasis on the death toll’s rapid rise, without detailing the US legal rationale or possible land operations.

Reporting for this sectionMintlnginnorthernbc.caSouth China Morning Post

US-Colombia Political Tensions

The political and diplomatic fallout is sharp. According to lnginnorthernbc.ca, tensions escalated after Trump removed Colombia from the list of allied drug-fighting countries, revoked Petro’s visa, suspended over $740 million in aid, imposed tariffs, and accused Petro of being a “drug trafficking leader.” The same source reports Petro countered that the US is engaging in geopolitical interference aimed at destabilizing Latin America, seizing Venezuelan oil, and meddling in Colombia’s 2026 elections.

He warned that any US land action would be treated as an invasion violating Colombia’s sovereignty. Mint adds a human dimension, reporting that one of the dead was a Colombian fisherman who may have turned to trafficking to escape poverty. South China Morning Post underscores Petro’s insistence that the death toll is climbing relentlessly.

Reporting for this sectionlnginnorthernbc.caMintSouth China Morning Post

Summary of Recent Operations and Reactions

Across the coverage, core facts are consistent—37 deaths, operations concentrated near Venezuela and the eastern Pacific as well as near Colombian waters, and Petro’s charge of ‘extrajudicial executions’. The evidentiary posture varies among sources. Mint and lnginnorthernbc.ca both use ‘reportedly’ when citing the 37 deaths and describe videos of vessels being destroyed.

SCMP relays Petro’s characterization of the mounting toll without operational detail. Diplomacy continues but with little movement.

The White House dismissal and lack of progress suggest an entrenched standoff. Meanwhile, Trump signals potential escalation to land operations.

Reporting for this sectionMintlnginnorthernbc.caSouth China Morning Post