• Colombian President Gustavo Petro demands a criminal investigation against Trump for Caribbean military strikes.
• Petro claims U.S. actions are unjustified and violate international law.
• A total of 22 deaths were reported from the strikes, which the U.S. stated targeted drug traffickers.
• Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro supports Petro's claims, calling for defenses against U.S. actions.
• Legal experts critique the U.S. justification for the attacks as potentially violating human rights.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro on Tuesday called for a criminal investigation against President Trump and other U.S. officials involved in military strikes targeting boats in the Caribbean. During his speech at the U.N. General Assembly, he rebutted claims that those aboard the vessels were drug traffickers, stating they were “simply poor young people from Latin America who had no other option,” according to Los Angeles Times and The Hill.

The airstrikes, which occurred between September 2 and 20, resulted in at least 22 deaths, with a significant number occurring in the first strike on September 2, which reportedly killed 11 individuals. The U.S. government had claimed the boats were connected to drug trafficking linked to Venezuela's Tren de Aragua gang. However, Petro dismissed this as untrue, stating it was "necessary to bomb unarmed, poor young people in the Caribbean," as reported by India Times and BBC.

In his remarks, Petro highlighted the need for accountability, referencing the possible violations of international law, stating that the strikes could be seen as “extrajudicial executions.” Legal analysts have echoed his sentiments, questioning the justification for such military actions when alternative methods like apprehension were available, according to The Hill, Los Angeles Times, and BBC.

Supporting Petro's accusations, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro also suggested the U.S. strategically utilized drug trafficking allegations as a cover for military aggression, calling for constitutional measures to protect Venezuela's sovereignty against future U.S. strikes. This response marks a continuation of heightened tensions between the U.S. and Latin American governments, especially under Trump's administration, as recounted by Los Angeles Times and India Times.