President Petro Accuses US of Killing Colombians in Narco-Boat Attacks

here’s a breakdown ⁢of the key information from the provided text:

* Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro alleges US strikes have killed Colombian citizens. He is calling on ‌the White House to release the names of those killed to verify his claims.
* US denies the claims. The White House has demanded Petro retract his “baseless and reprehensible statement.”
* US⁣ officials ⁣confirm Colombians ‍were on at least one of the boats. Two unnamed US officials told the New York Times ⁣that Colombians were aboard‌ boats destroyed by ⁤the US military.
* US ‌military action: The US has been conducting ⁤strikes in⁣ the Caribbean, claiming⁤ they are targeting ⁢Venezuelan‌ narco-groups involved in cocaine trafficking. At least 21 people have reportedly​ died in these strikes.
* Lack ‌of Openness: The names of those killed have not been released, and the US has not provided proof‌ that the ‌victims were involved in drug smuggling.
* Recent Senate Vote: Senate Republicans recently voted against a check on Donald Trump’s authority to use deadly‍ force against cartels. (linked article)
* Defense Secretary’s Statement: pete Hegseth stated four “narco-terrorists” were killed in international waters‍ near Venezuela.

In essence, the article details a growing dispute‌ between the US ‍and Colombia regarding the casualties of US military operations⁣ in the Caribbean, and raises questions about transparency‌ and accountability.