A US military campaign targeting alleged drug-carrying vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific, initiated in early September, has resulted in over 100 fatalities and drawn criticism from regional governments and legal experts. The families of individuals killed in these operations have launched legal challenges, including a human rights petition filed by the family of Colombian fisherman Alejandro Carranza, and a federal lawsuit brought by the families of Trinidadian nationals Chad Joseph and Rishi Samaroo, both challenging the legality of the strikes and seeking accountability.
Overview of US Military Operations
Since early September, the United States military has conducted operations in the Caribbean and subsequently expanded to the Pacific, targeting vessels it alleges are involved in drug trafficking. The Trump administration has stated that these strikes are part of a broader effort to remove "narco-terrorists" from the hemisphere and prevent drugs from entering the US, describing them as a necessary self-defense measure.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth indicated the campaign's aim to remove "narco-terrorists."
The administration informed Congress that it views itself in a "non-international armed conflict" with drug cartels in the region, invoking wartime powers to justify the actions.
Reports on the number of strikes and fatalities have varied across the campaign. By mid-September, US statements reported 83 fatalities across at least 21 strikes. By October, multiple sources indicated that the campaign involved approximately 36 strikes, resulting in over 100 fatalities, with some reports citing up to 125 deaths.
President Trump has also announced that the US would soon commence land strikes, without specifying locations, but suggested countries beyond Venezuela, including Colombia, involved in manufacturing and selling fentanyl or cocaine.
Case of Alejandro Carranza
On September 15, a US strike in international waters targeted a vessel originating from Venezuela. The US stated the strike resulted in the deaths of three individuals, described as "extraordinarily violent drug-trafficking cartels and narco-terrorists."
Alejandro Carranza, a Colombian fisherman, has been missing since September 14, when he departed from La Guajira, Venezuela. His family in Taganga, Colombia, states they have not seen him since and are seeking information.
Colombia's President Gustavo Petro criticized the September 15 strike, asserting that Colombian citizens were aboard the vessel, and later claimed Mr. Carranza was among those killed. The White House requested a retraction of Petro's statement, characterizing it as "baseless and reprehensible," and President Trump accused Petro of encouraging drug production, indicating a potential reduction in US aid to Colombia.
Petro alleged that Carranza accepted payment from a drug trafficker to transport drugs to an island to fund his daughter's university studies, while maintaining that this activity does not warrant a death penalty.
Petro accused the US of "murder" and initially stated he would suspend intelligence sharing with the US; however, his defense minister later clarified that cooperation with international agencies on drug trafficking would continue.
Carranza's family denies his characterization as a narco-trafficker, despite his past criminal record for weapons theft nine years prior. His niece, Lizbeth Perez, stated that the US needs to provide proof of involvement in trafficking. US lawyer Daniel Kovalik, representing Carranza's family, stated that Carranza's wife and elder daughter identified his boat from US-released strike footage.
Kovalik has filed a formal petition with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights on the family's behalf, claiming Carranza's death constituted an extrajudicial killing and violated human rights conventions. The petition seeks compensation, as Carranza was the family's primary financial provider, and states that the family has received threats since his death. The US does not acknowledge the jurisdiction of the commission's associated international court, meaning any recommendations would not be legally binding.
Case of Chad Joseph and Rishi Samaroo
On October 14, a US strike in the Caribbean Sea killed six individuals. Among them were Chad Joseph (26) and Rishi Samaroo (41), both Trinidadian nationals from Las Cuevas, Trinidad. President Trump and then-Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that the strike targeted a "vessel affiliated with a Designated Terrorist Organization (DTO)" and was "trafficking narcotics," describing the deceased as "six male narcoterrorists."
Joseph's mother, Lenore Burnley, and Samaroo's sister, Sallycar Korasingh, have filed a federal lawsuit against the US government in Massachusetts. The lawsuit alleges wrongful death and extrajudicial killings. They claim that Joseph and Samaroo were fishermen and farm workers in Venezuela and were returning to their homes in Trinidad when the incident occurred, denying any connections to the drug trade. The lawsuit contends that neither man presented an imminent threat and that non-lethal alternatives could have been employed. The Trinidadian government has stated it had "no information linking Joseph or Samaroo to illegal activities" or to possessing illegal drugs or weapons.
The lawsuit was filed under the Death on the High Seas Act, which establishes US government liability for negligence leading to wrongful death more than three miles off American shores, and the Alien Tort Statute, which allows foreign citizens to file claims for human rights violations.
Legal representatives for the families characterized the strikes as "premeditated and intentional killings" lacking "any plausible legal justification," arguing that no armed conflict exists, and therefore the laws of war do not apply.
Sallycar Korasingh stated that if the US government believed Rishi Samaroo had committed wrongdoing, he should have been arrested, charged, and detained, rather than killed. The Pentagon declined immediate comment on the lawsuit, citing longstanding department policy not to comment on ongoing litigation.
Legal Considerations and Broader Reactions
International law typically permits military forces to kill civilians only when they pose an imminent threat of violence, even if engaged in criminal activity. Daniel Kovalik argued that even if individuals are involved in drug trafficking, they are subject to arrest and judicial process, not extrajudicial killings, and that drug trafficking is not a capital crime. He also disputed the US's self-defense argument, noting that the vessels involved have not attacked the United States.
The US strikes have drawn criticism in several regional countries and raised concerns regarding adherence to international law. Legal scholars have previously indicated that these strikes, conducted against civilians in international waters, may constitute violations of both domestic and international law. The Trump administration has maintained the legality of these actions, supported by a classified Justice Department opinion.
Reports from The Washington Post indicated that Secretary Hegseth had issued a verbal order to "kill everybody" on the first boat targeted by the military, and that an admiral approved a subsequent strike which reportedly resulted in the deaths of two survivors from the initial incident. Hegseth was quoted as stating the admiral "made the right call" and "had complete authority to do" so.
Local fishermen, such as 81-year-old Juan Assis Tejeda in Taganga, expressed apprehension due to the ongoing strikes and observed drone activity, noting that some fishermen engage in drug transportation due to poverty.
Separately, the increased US military presence in the region has been interpreted by some as a strategy to pressure Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to resign. Days after President Trump confirmed a phone conversation with Venezuelan President Maduro, Maduro publicly acknowledged the call, expressing hope for future dialogue between the two governments. These comments followed the arrival of a flight operated by a US government contractor in Caracas, carrying 266 deported migrants.