Overview

• Colombian President Gustavo Petro said the most recently struck boat off Venezuela was Colombian and that Colombians were on board, calling the action an aggression against Latin America and the Caribbean.
• A White House representative labeled Petro’s statements baseless and reprehensible and urged a public retraction while stressing that Colombia remains a strategic partner.
• U.S. officials say at least four recent strikes on suspected smuggling vessels have killed 21 people as part of the ongoing operation.
• The United States has broken off diplomatic contacts with Venezuela, and Caracas launched new military exercises following the latest escalations.
• Legal experts criticized the use of lethal military force at sea against suspected smugglers instead of arrests and due process by maritime law-enforcement authorities.