On Tuesday, the United States military reported that it conducted a strike on a boat in the eastern Pacific Ocean, resulting in the deaths of four individuals. This incident marks the third attack on vessels in the area within a span of four days.
The US Southern Command, responsible for military operations across Latin America and the Caribbean, shared this information via social media, asserting that those killed were “narco-terrorists,” although no evidence was provided to substantiate this claim.
Since September, US military operations targeting boats have led to the deaths of at least 174 individuals. Officials have consistently maintained that these operations focus on individuals involved in drug trafficking, yet they have failed to disclose intelligence or specific information regarding the identities of those targeted.
Legal experts and human rights organizations have strongly criticized these strikes, labeling them as extrajudicial killings that contravene both US and international law. They argue that the military lacks the authority to execute civilians accused of crimes without due process.
In its Tuesday announcement, the Southern Command included a blurred aerial video depicting a boat explosion, along with a statement claiming that “intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes.” This description mirrored the language used in a prior alert on Monday, which reported the killing of two individuals in a similar strike. The day before, the command had reported five fatalities in boat explosions, with one survivor mentioned.
Former President Donald Trump has defended these military actions, asserting that the US is involved in an “armed conflict” with drug cartels in Latin America. However, United Nations officials have countered that international humanitarian law does not permit the US to carry out lethal actions against individuals merely accused of drug trafficking, emphasizing that evidence has not been presented to show that those on the targeted vessels posed an immediate threat.
In January, legal action was initiated against the US by attorneys representing the families of two men from a Trinidad fishing village, who lost their lives due to an October strike on a small boat in the Caribbean. The lawsuit claims that these “premeditated and intentional killings lack any plausible legal justification.”
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) stated in December that the administration continues to make unfounded, alarmist claims regarding the identities of those killed, despite investigations revealing that some victims were fishermen striving to support their families.
The ACLU further argued that the current administration appears to be trying to set a precedent that allows for the redefinition of civilians as “combatants,” effectively granting immunity to federal officials involved in these killings.
Last month, Democratic representatives Joaquin Castro and Sara Jacobs reached out to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, expressing concern over the killings and pointing out that the identities and nationalities of many victims remain undisclosed. They asserted, “Each killing took place outside of any recognized armed conflict and without due process. We agree with the overwhelming consensus of legal experts: the administration has engaged in a prolonged campaign of extrajudicial killings, or, in simpler terms, murders.”
