The death toll from the eight attacks on South American vessels, which the Trump administration labels as drug traffickers without presenting evidence, has reached 34 people.
U.S. military forces conducted their eighth attack on a suspected drug vessel off the coast of South America, killing two more people. This was reported on Wednesday by U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.
The attack, which occurred on Tuesday evening, took place in the eastern Pacific Ocean. While the exact location of the attack is unknown, the New York Times reports that the vessel departed from Colombian territory.
The previous seven attacks targeted vessels in the Venezuelan Caribbean, on the other side of the Andes continent. However, Tuesday's attack demonstrated that such operations conducted by the U.S. Navy have significantly expanded their range. The death toll from all attacks has risen to 34 people.
U.S. Diplomatic Escalation Against Colombia Intensifies
In a statement released on Sunday, the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejected Donald Trump's "direct threat," in which he accused President Gustavo Petro of allegedly being a "leader of drug trafficking." Earlier this September, the White House ceased to view the Colombian state as an ally in the fight against drugs and consequently suspended financial assistance for these purposes.
On the same Sunday, a boat that the White House linked to the Colombian guerrilla group ELN was destroyed during a military operation, resulting in three more deaths. Gustavo Petro condemned this action as a violation of Colombia's sovereignty and accused Washington of killing civilians.
The Trump administration is avoiding legal action against any of the surviving members of the alleged drug traffickers' boat. Two of them returned to their home countries—Ecuador and Colombia. Moreover, officials in the former country, governed by conservative Daniel Noboa, released their compatriot in the absence of evidence of his alleged activities.
