• The family of Alejandro Carranza alleges he was a victim of murder in a U.S. military strike.
• Carranza's family has filed a complaint with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.
• U.S. officials have faced scrutiny over the legality of recent military operations against alleged drug smugglers.

The family of Alejandro Carranza, a 42-year-old Colombian fisherman killed in a U.S. military strike on September 15, has formally lodged a complaint with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), alleging that the U.S. government illegally murdered him. They assert that Carranza was merely fishing at the time of the incident and that there were no drugs aboard the vessel targeted by U.S. forces, as claimed by officials. The complaint states that U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth ordered the bombing despite knowing he was targeting unknown individuals for these strikes, which were part of a broader anti-drug campaign approved by President Donald Trump, according to ABC News, CBS News, and Al Jazeera.

In their petition, Carranza's lawyer, Dan Kovalik, highlights that the family has no recourse to justice in Colombia, asserting that the strikes have resulted in more than 80 deaths in the region, where similar military operations have occurred. Many of the deceased were reportedly fishermen rather than drug traffickers, as the U.S. government maintains. Colombian President Gustavo Petro has publicly accused the U.S. of committing "extrajudicial executions” and has pledged to support the Carranza family in their pursuit of justice, according to ABC News, CBS News, and Al Jazeera.

The IACHR complaint specifically asserts that the orders issued by Hegseth for the bombing of Carranza's boat violated his right to life, with no lawful evidence of wrongdoing associated with the targeted vessel. Reports indicate that the U.S. military conducted up to 21 strikes on alleged drug smuggling vessels since early September, raising significant legal concerns regarding the use of lethal force against potential civilians, which could violate international law. Critics have called the military campaign illegal, suggesting that it constitutes a war crime, according to ABC News, CBS News, and Al Jazeera.

Carranza's widow, Katerine Hernandez, and friends described him as a man dedicated to fishing, with no ties to drug trafficking. His death has sparked outrage and inquiries into the U.S. government's military actions in Colombian waters. President Petro urged for explanations from the U.S. regarding the conduct of these strikes, maintaining that they violate Colombian sovereignty and humanitarian law. He noted that Carranza's boat was reportedly adrift and signaling distress at the time of the strike, as reported by ABC News, CBS News, and Al Jazeera.