Colombian President Petro Orders End Of Communication With U.S. Security Agencies Over Strikes Against Alleged Drug Boats

Petro gave the order when responding to a CNN report noting that the United Kingdom has suspended intelligence sharing with the U.S. on the matter, citing concerns that the information could be used to support military strikes it considers unlawful.

The move marked an unusual break between close intelligence partners and reflects broader skepticism among U.S. allies regarding the legal basis of the Trump administration's military maritime campaign. The pause allegedly began more than a month ago after the US began attacking suspected drug boats which have killed at least 76 people so far.

For years, the UK has provided intelligence from Caribbean territories to support US Coast Guard interdictions, during which suspected vessels were boarded, crews detained, and narcotics seized, CNN added.

Officials, however, grew concerned after the US shifted from interdiction to airstrikes, and now believe the operations violate international law. The outlet noted that the UK shares the view of UN human rights chief Volker Türk, who recently has said the attacks constitute "extrajudicial killing."

Canada, another longstanding US counter-narcotics partner in the Caribbean, is maintaining its law-enforcement cooperation but has also informed Washington that it does not want its intelligence used to support lethal strikes.

Internal skepticism has also emerged within the US government, the outlet added. Additionally, White House officials told lawmakers in a classified briefing on last week that U.S. forces carrying out airstrikes often do not know the identities of those onboard before launching the attacks.

Petro has been repeatedly slamming the Trump administration over the matter, as well as its pressure on the Maduro regime. During the weekend, he warned the administration to not "wake up the jaguar."

Petro made the claim during a public speech, saying "I would tell (Donald) Trump and (Marco) Rubio to beware." "You are going through the Liberators' Caribbean, you are messing with the land of Bolivar. Have you not read its history? You are coming into lands where farmers armed with spheres defeated the most powerful armies in the world. The Spaniards of the king and the Frenchmen of the Republic. And they failed," he added.

"Beware. There are people in the Caribbean that have always been used to hurricanes and can unleash themselves like one. Like the legend goes, 'if the golden eagle attacks the condor, the American people's jaguar awakens.' Don't awaken the jaguar. We can still talk. South America can save the U.S. by cleaning up its energetic grid."