Hi, this is Nikki from the Guardian’s audience team. We wanted to share more from this story about a US airstrike that illegally killed a Colombian citizen.
*From The Guardian:*
A family in [Colombia](https://www.theguardian.com/world/colombia) filed a petition on Tuesday with the Washington DC-based Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, alleging that Colombia citizen Alejandro Carranza Medina was illegally killed in a US airstrike on 15 September.
The petition marks the first formal complaint over the airstrikes by the [Trump administration](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/trump-administration) against suspected drug boats, attacks that the White House says are justified under a novel interpretation of law.
The IACHR, part of the Organization of American States, is designed to “promote and protect human rights in the Western Hemisphere”. The US is a member, and in March the Trump administration’s state department wrote: “The United States is pleased to be a strong supporter of the IACHR and is committed to continuing support for the Commission’s work and its independence. Preserving the IACHR’s autonomy is a pillar of our human rights policy in the region.”
The complaint was filed by Pittsburgh-based human rights lawyer Dan Kovalik. “On September 15, 2025, the United States military bombed the boat of Alejandro Andres Carranza Medina,” the filing says, “which Mr Carranza was sailing in the Caribbean off the coast of Colombia. Mr Carranza was killed in the process of this bombing.”
Kovalik identified [Pete Hegseth](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/pete-hegseth), the US defense secretary, as the perpetrator, based on Hegseth’s own statements. “From numerous news reports, we know that Pete Hegseth, US Secretary of Defense, was responsible for ordering the bombing of boats like those of Alejandro Carranza Medina and the murder of all those on such boats. Secretary Hegseth has admitted that he gave such orders despite the fact that he did not know the identity of those being targeted for these bombings and extra-judicial killings,” the filing goes on.
Come on, he was just trying to earn a living. I mean are these people serious? This is THE PROBLEM. These are criminals risking their lives to get fentanyl and cocaine to the US to kill our kids. It has to stop.
campfire_eventide on
Finally, a name. These were human beings. They deserve to be named and seen, as do their families. I hope more families come forward.
RoosterMedical on
And the gang who can’t shoot straight will need to prove that their intelligence is flawless.
rainshowers_5_peace on
Would any country try to make the US face legal penalties? Even declare war?
groundhog5886 on
As the government will claim they were going after drug boats and this one fit the bill, nothing more will happen. My thought is civil recourse be filed against the individuals and the government for redress of their loss.
Distinct_Sun on
even calling it “drug boat killings” accepts the framing of a lying, unhinged war criminal admin
Bazylik on
Murderers, plain and simple.
Corran22 on
Alejandro Andres Carranza Medina, you will not be forgotten. I am so sorry for all of your family, but especially your children – the photo of you and your son brought me to tears. We Americans do not support what the Trump Administration is doing.
Gordofski on
They are not “killings”, they are premeditated murders to satisfy the bloodlust of maga morons and alcoholic, woman abusing fox news hosts.
13 Comments
Hi, this is Nikki from the Guardian’s audience team. We wanted to share more from this story about a US airstrike that illegally killed a Colombian citizen.
*From The Guardian:*
A family in [Colombia](https://www.theguardian.com/world/colombia) filed a petition on Tuesday with the Washington DC-based Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, alleging that Colombia citizen Alejandro Carranza Medina was illegally killed in a US airstrike on 15 September.
The petition marks the first formal complaint over the airstrikes by the [Trump administration](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/trump-administration) against suspected drug boats, attacks that the White House says are justified under a novel interpretation of law.
The IACHR, part of the Organization of American States, is designed to “promote and protect human rights in the Western Hemisphere”. The US is a member, and in March the Trump administration’s state department wrote: “The United States is pleased to be a strong supporter of the IACHR and is committed to continuing support for the Commission’s work and its independence. Preserving the IACHR’s autonomy is a pillar of our human rights policy in the region.”
The complaint was filed by Pittsburgh-based human rights lawyer Dan Kovalik. “On September 15, 2025, the United States military bombed the boat of Alejandro Andres Carranza Medina,” the filing says, “which Mr Carranza was sailing in the Caribbean off the coast of Colombia. Mr Carranza was killed in the process of this bombing.”
Kovalik identified [Pete Hegseth](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/pete-hegseth), the US defense secretary, as the perpetrator, based on Hegseth’s own statements. “From numerous news reports, we know that Pete Hegseth, US Secretary of Defense, was responsible for ordering the bombing of boats like those of Alejandro Carranza Medina and the murder of all those on such boats. Secretary Hegseth has admitted that he gave such orders despite the fact that he did not know the identity of those being targeted for these bombings and extra-judicial killings,” the filing goes on.
[You can read the full story for free at this link.](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/dec/02/trump-caribbean-drug-boat-attack-complaint)
Sue Hegseth for everything he’s worth!
Trump “drug boat” killings.
There, fixed it for the Guardian.
Come on, he was just trying to earn a living. I mean are these people serious? This is THE PROBLEM. These are criminals risking their lives to get fentanyl and cocaine to the US to kill our kids. It has to stop.
Finally, a name. These were human beings. They deserve to be named and seen, as do their families. I hope more families come forward.
And the gang who can’t shoot straight will need to prove that their intelligence is flawless.
Would any country try to make the US face legal penalties? Even declare war?
As the government will claim they were going after drug boats and this one fit the bill, nothing more will happen. My thought is civil recourse be filed against the individuals and the government for redress of their loss.
even calling it “drug boat killings” accepts the framing of a lying, unhinged war criminal admin
Murderers, plain and simple.
Alejandro Andres Carranza Medina, you will not be forgotten. I am so sorry for all of your family, but especially your children – the photo of you and your son brought me to tears. We Americans do not support what the Trump Administration is doing.
They are not “killings”, they are premeditated murders to satisfy the bloodlust of maga morons and alcoholic, woman abusing fox news hosts.
Department of Death