A Colombian family has filed the first formal complaint against the United States over airstrikes on suspected drug boats in the Caribbean, alleging the illegal killing of a fisherman. The petition, submitted to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) on Tuesday, claims that Alejandro Carranza Medina, a Colombian citizen, was killed in a US airstrike on 15 September.
The complaint, filed by human rights lawyer Dan Kovalik, identifies US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as the perpetrator, citing his own statements ordering the strikes. It argues that the bombing was an extrajudicial killing, as Hegseth admitted he did not know the identities of those targeted. The filing also notes that President Donald Trump ratified Hegseth's conduct.
Carranza, 42, was a fisherman who often sailed for marlin and tuna. His family says he was killed in the second strike of the Trump administration's bombing campaign, which has publicly disclosed 21 strikes on alleged drug boats. The White House has not commented directly on the complaint but stated that the media were protecting terrorists smuggling narcotics.
Kovalik said the petition seeks redress for the family and aims to stop the boat attacks. The IACHR, part of the Organization of American States, promotes human rights in the Western Hemisphere. The US is a member and has previously expressed support for the commission's work.
