The United States has conducted its 47th attack targeting a vessel allegedly involved in drug trafficking, resulting in four deaths. The ongoing campaign, dubbed Operation Southern Spear, has now killed approximately 163 people, according to a Wednesday announcement.
US Military Campaign Against Alleged Drug Traffickers
U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) described the attack as “applying total systemic friction on the cartels.” The command unit stated on social media that the strike, directed by SOUTHCOM commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan, targeted a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations on March 25.
Intelligence indicated the vessel was traveling along known narco-trafficking routes in the Caribbean and engaged in narco-trafficking operations. No further details were provided regarding the specific “terrorist organisation” involved or the identities of those on board.
SOUTHCOM released a 15-second aerial video showing the vessel bursting into flames.
Criticism and Legal Concerns
The administration of President Donald Trump has maintained that lethal tactics are necessary to halt the flow of drugs into the U.S. However, legal experts and human rights officials have criticized the attacks as a campaign of extrajudicial killings.
The boat-bombing campaign began in the Caribbean Sea on September 2 and expanded to the eastern Pacific Ocean in October. In the seven months since its inception, only three survivors have been recovered from the water following the bombings, with others presumed dead.
Concerns were raised after two survivors of the initial September 2 attack were reportedly killed in a subsequent “double-tap” strike while clinging to wreckage, potentially violating international and domestic law. The Defense Department’s manual describes attacking shipwreck victims as “inhumane.” The Trump administration has not released video of this “double-tap” strike.
Allegations of a potential war crime surfaced, suggesting the Trump administration attempted to disguise a military plane as a civilian aircraft during the initial strike. The campaign has also been described as an act of illegal aggression, as drug trafficking is considered a crime, not an act of war.
Families Allege Wrongful Deaths
The Trump administration has not publicly identified any of those killed in the campaign, nor has it released evidence against them. Families in Colombia and Trinidad and Tobago have come forward claiming the victims were fishermen and informal workers, not “narco-terrorists.”
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights held an inaugural hearing on March 12 to address the human rights implications of the campaign. United Nations special rapporteur Ben Saul told the commission that the attacks are “unprovoked serial extrajudicial killings” with no justification under international law.
The family of fisherman Alejandro Carranza has filed a complaint with the commission, alleging a violation of basic rights. Relatives representing missing Trinidadian workers Chad Joseph and Rishi Samaroo have filed a wrongful death lawsuit in a Massachusetts federal court.
Escalating Militarization
The boat strikes are part of a broader militaristic approach under the Trump administration to confront drug cartels and organized crime networks in Latin America. Since taking office for a second term, Trump has sought to label cartels as “terrorist organisations” and reportedly asserted that drug traffickers are equivalent to “unlawful combatants” in a “non-international armed conflict.”
The administration has yet to publicly release its official justification for the attacks, as written by the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel. Government watchdogs have filed lawsuits to compel the release of this memo and other related materials.
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