Colombia’s Petro suggests last vessel bombed by US was Colombian

BOGOTA – Colombian President Gustavo Petro on Oct 8 said the latest vessel in the Caribbean bombed by the US may have been Colombian with Colombian citizens aboard, which the White House called a “baseless” statement.

US President Donald Trump on Oct 5 announced the latest in a series of military strikes targeting drug trafficking vessels off the coast of Venezuela, although the Pentagon has yet to confirm that any such strike occurred on Oct 4.

“Indications show that the last boat bombed was Colombian with Colombian citizens inside it,” Mr Petro said in a post on social media platform X. “The aggression is against all of Latin America and the Caribbean.”

If verified, the assertion would bring Colombia into the fray of a US campaign that had previously targeted Venezuelan boats.

Statement ‘baseless’

The White House rebuffed Mr Petro’s comments.

“The United States looks forward to President Petro publicly retracting his baseless and reprehensible statement so that we can return to a productive dialogue on building a strong, prosperous future for the people of the United States and Colombia,” a White House official told Reuters.

The official said Colombia is an “essential strategic partner” despite policy differences, and the two countries share priorities including regional security.

The Pentagon and the State Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Mr Petro’s statement.

There have been at least four strikes in recent weeks on boats the US says were transporting drugs, and the White House says 21 people have been killed in the operations. The attacks have inflamed tensions in the region and Washington on Oct 6

called off diplomatic outreach to Venezuela

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Mr Petro, who is in Belgium meeting European leaders, was replying to a post by US Senator Adam Schiff, who said he would vote to block strikes against vessels in the Caribbean.

“Let the White House give us the information about the people who died due to the US missiles, so we can see if my information is unfounded,” Mr Petro said later on Oct 8.

Colombia’s presidential office did not immediately respond to a request for more details.

Military exercises amid tensions

Venezuela’s Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello responded to Mr Petro’s comments on state TV.

“They (the US) have set in place a death penalty for any citizen they believe they can murder, using the excuse that drugs, according to them, are coming from Venezuela,” he said.

Separately, on Oct 8, Venezuela began new military exercises in the coastal states of La Guaira and Carabobo.

During a televised address, Venezuelan Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino called the US military deployment in the Caribbean a “serious threat” and said Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has called for a “counteroffensive”.

In August, Washington doubled the reward for information leading to Mr Maduro’s arrest to US$50 million (S$64.8 million), claiming that he is linked to drug trafficking and criminal groups.

Mr Trump has played down the possibility of a regime change in the South American country.

The US military deployment in the southern Caribbean includes seven warships, a nuclear-powered submarine and F-35 stealth fighters. REUTERS