Colombian President Gustavo Petro has accused the United States of bombing a vessel carrying Colombian citizens in the Caribbean, a claim the White House has dismissed as ‘baseless.’ The US has conducted at least four strikes in the region in recent weeks, resulting in 21 fatalities. The US government asserts that these operations, carried out in international waters, targeted ‘narco-traffickers.’ However, it has not provided evidence or detailed information about the individuals or cargo aboard the vessels, sparking widespread condemnation across Latin America and concerns over potential violations of international law. On Wednesday, the US Senate rejected a measure that would have required President Donald Trump to seek congressional approval before launching such strikes. The proposal, introduced by Democratic Senators Adam Schiff and Tim Kaine, was defeated in a 48-51 vote, largely along partisan lines. Petro responded to Schiff’s social media post about the measure, warning of a ‘new war scenario in the Caribbean.’ He claimed that the latest vessel bombed was Colombian and urged affected families to come forward. Petro criticized the US actions, stating, ‘There is no war against smuggling; there is a war for oil, and it must be stopped by the world. The aggression is against all of Latin America and the Caribbean.’ The White House, in a statement, denied Petro’s allegations and emphasized its commitment to cooperation with Colombia on regional security. The US has framed its strikes, which began on September 2, as part of an effort to combat drug trafficking, particularly targeting vessels off Venezuela’s coast. A leaked memo to Congress revealed that the US now considers itself in a ‘non-international armed conflict,’ a designation that could justify the use of wartime powers, including targeting ‘enemy fighters’ without immediate threats. Trump has previously labeled several cartels in Mexico, Ecuador, and Venezuela as terrorist organizations, expanding US authority to act against them.