Colombian President Petro Accuses U.S. of «Systematic Murder» of Caribbean Civilians and Initiates Legal Action Over Fisherman’s Death

Original article: Petro acusa a EE.UU. de «asesinato sistemático» de civiles caribeños y lleva a tribunales muerte de pescador colombiano

Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro has accused the United States of systematically murdering Caribbean civilians and has decided to take legal action regarding the death of Alejandro Carranza, a fisherman from Santa Marta who died during an attack on boats that Washington linked to drug trafficking in the Caribbean Sea. This incident is not isolated, as the president frames it within a series of military operations that, according to his accusations, have left dozens of civilian casualties in the region.

Petro announced that his attorney, American Dan Kovalik, has taken on the legal defense for Carranza’s family, paving a legal route aimed at clarifying responsibilities in this attack and similar incidents. Kovalik himself described the fisherman’s death as an «American murder» and lamented the lack of solidarity with the victims, emphasizing the power imbalance between coastal communities and military decisions made from Washington.

Through his account on platform X, the Colombian president stated that the state legal agency—whose priority should be defending the victims of violence in Colombia—needs to convene a commission of Colombian lawyers to investigate the crimes committed in the Caribbean Sea. This commission would not only review the Carranza case but also other attacks attributed to U.S. military policy in the area.

U.S. lawyers from both parties come together to examine the war secretary’s policy under Trump that has led to the murder of Caribbean civilians under his direct orders

My attorney Dan Kovalik has begun the judicial defense for the Carranza family, victim…

— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) December 1, 2025

Petro Accuses the U.S. of Systematic Murder and Addresses Crimes Against Humanity

In this context, Petro reiterated his direct accusations against Washington. He recalled that the White House has announced 20 attacks since August 2025 as part of the so-called war against drug trafficking in the Caribbean and Pacific. According to the president’s claims, these operations have resulted in the deaths of more than 80 people, many of them civilians from coastal communities.

In one of his posts, the Colombian president asserted that this constitutes «systematic murder, which is a crime against humanity.» With this statement, Petro places the debate within the realm of international law and human rights standards, pointing to the need for an investigation into the chains of command, the planning of operations, and the potential disregard for the lives of people not involved in the armed conflict or drug trade.

The president’s speech also calls for collective action in the Caribbean. He stated, «I believe that even if it is by canoe as in the past, the Caribbean peoples must gather in regional assemblies to unite and act,» suggesting that communities organize to demand truth, justice, and guarantees against repeated military attacks in the region. His message directly addresses coastal populations—many impoverished and marginalized—who often find themselves excluded from security decisions made by great powers.

I think what has happened in the Caribbean is systematic murder that is a crime against humanity.

I believe that even if it is by canoe as in the past, Caribbean peoples must gather regionally in assemblies to unite and act. pic.twitter.com/QC9LHHs5L1

— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) December 1, 2025

Lawyer Commission and Sovereignty: Legal Offensive from Colombia

As part of this offensive, Petro proposes that the state legal agency convenes a commission of Colombian lawyers to investigate the crimes in the Caribbean and legally support affected families. In the case of Alejandro Carranza, the aim is to determine the exact circumstances of the attack, establish responsibilities, and open the door to lawsuits against those who ordered and executed the operation.

The investigation would not be limited to a single episode. The commission seeks to document other civilian murders in the Caribbean, map patterns of force use, and confront the narrative that presents these attacks solely as “surgical strikes” against drug trafficking. Marking a sovereignty stance, Petro’s decision targets making Colombia not just a stage for foreign military operations, but also an active subject in defending the rights of its population.

From a human rights and gender perspective, the concern also extends to the families left behind: women, children, and marginalized groups who face grief, impoverishment, and stigmatization when a family member is killed under labels of “suspect” or “collateral” in armed actions. The intention to bring these cases to court also aims to illuminate those silent impacts.

The case of Alejandro Carranza thus becomes a symbol of something larger: the attempt to challenge the use of force in contexts where the line between the fight against drug trafficking and violence against civilians is often blurred. If the legal offensive succeeds, it could pave the way for other Caribbean victims—and their families—to seek justice against what the president himself has described as «systematic murder, which is a crime against humanity.»