<
div>Gustavo Petro, the President of Colombia, addressed the UN general assembly on Tuesday, advocating for a criminal process against American counterpart Donald Trump on account of US strikes on suspected drug trafficking boats in the Caribbean. Petro claims that these strikes resulted in the deaths of unarmed, impoverished youths, indicating that a US anti-drug operation off the coast of Venezuela was responsible for the loss of life. It has been reported that over a dozen individuals were killed in strikes on at least three boats, which UN experts have denoted as “extrajudicial executions.
Dismissing concerns of unlawful killings, Trump stated at the same forum earlier in the day that he would eliminate drug smugglers. He dispatched eight warships and a submarine to the southern Caribbean, raising concerns of an invasion, according to Nicolas Maduro – the President of Venezuela – who blames Trump for attempting to affect regime change. In response, thousands of Venezuelans have enlisted in a civilian militia to bolster the country’s defenses.
Colombia, the world’s largest cocaine producer, suspects that some of those killed in the US boat strikes were Colombian. On Tuesday, Petro argued in New York for an investigation into Trump’s decision to target “young people who simply wanted to escape poverty” while many cartel bosses reside in the United States.
Petro had called for a criminal process against “officials from the United States” including “the senior official who gave the order, President Trump.” Last week, the Trump administration decertified Colombia as an ally in the fight against drugs but opted not to impose economic sanctions. Despite being historical allies, political ties have deteriorated under Petro, Colombia’s first-ever leftist leader.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/sep/23/colombia-gustavo-petro-trump-criminal-process
