President Donald Trump defended a U.S. strike on a suspected drug submarine in the Caribbean, claiming the operation successfully targeted narcotics headed for the United States while raising international human rights concerns.
US Military Strikes Narco Submarine, Two Survivors Rescued
Trump said the strike, which took place on Thursday, killed two people and left two survivors from Ecuador and Colombia. The survivors were rescued by a U.S. military helicopter and later transferred to a U.S. warship.
Trump Claims Operation Targeted Fentanyl-Laden Vessel
On Saturday, Trump wrote on Truth Social, "It was my great honor to destroy a very large DRUG-CARRYING SUBMARINE that was navigating towards the United States on a well-known narcotrafficking transit route."
He added, "The two surviving terrorists are being returned to their countries of origin, Ecuador and Colombia, for detention and prosecution."
Colombian President Gustavo Petro confirmed the return of the Colombian national, tweeting, "We received the Colombian detained in the narco submarine; we are glad that he is alive and he will be processed in accordance with the laws."
The U.S. has not released evidence confirming the vessel's cargo or the identities of those on board. UN-appointed human rights experts have criticized the strikes, labeling them "extrajudicial executions," reported BBC News.
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Petro Condemns US Strike, Rejects Visa Revocation
Colombian President Petro condemned a U.S. missile strike that he says killed a Colombian fisherman and destroyed his family, calling the attack an invasion of Colombian territory and invoking Simón Bolívar with a rallying cry for justice.
In September, tensions escalated when the Trump administration revoked Petro’s U.S. visa after he urged American troops to disobey orders during a Gaza protest near the UN General Assembly.
Petro denounced Washington’s role in the Israel-Hamas conflict, asserting his U.N. immunity and dismissing the visa revocation, noting he did not need a U.S. visa as a European citizen.
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