By Alejandra Jaramillo, Michael Rios, CNN
(CNN) — The White House on Thursday dismissed Colombian President Gustavo Petro’s allegation that the most recent US strike in the Caribbean may have targeted a Colombian vessel, saying the claim is “baseless and reprehensible.”
“The United States looks forward to President Petro publicly retracting his baseless and reprehensible statement so that we can return to a productive dialogue on building a strong, prosperous future for the people of United States and Colombia,” a White House official said in a statement to CNN.
“Despite policy differences with the current government, Colombia remains an essential strategic partner. We are committed to close cooperation on a range of shared priorities, including regional security and stability, and we remain engaged in efforts that improve the lives of Americans and Colombians alike,” the official added.
The South American leader made the assertion in a post on X on Wednesday.
“Indications show that the last boat bombed was Colombian with Colombian citizens inside it,” Petro wrote without providing details or evidence of his claim. “The aggression is against all of Latin America and the Caribbean.”
Responding to the White House Wednesday, Petro said the US should provide details about the people killed in the recent attack.
“The White House should give us information on the people who have died from US missiles, to know if my information is unfounded,” Petro said on X.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said last week that the US struck what he described as a “narco-trafficking vessel” in international waters just off Venezuela’s coast, killing all four people on board.
It marked at least the fourth known US military strike in the region since the beginning of September, all of which have targeted boats the administration claims are “affiliated” with drug cartels. The US said at least two of the vessels departed from Venezuela.
Petro in late September floated the idea that another one of those strikes may have also killed Colombian citizens.
Referring to a vessel that was struck on September 19, the Colombian president said at the time: “If the boat was sunk in the Dominican Republic, then it is possible that they were Colombians. This means that officials from the US and the Dominican Republic would be guilty of the murder of Colombian citizens.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday said the US is confident all the people on board the four boats were narco-traffickers.
“The Department of Defense doesn’t take this lightly. There are many boats running through that region, some of which you – we suspect may have drugs on them, and they don’t take shots at them because they need to know with 100% certainty,” he said.
The strikes followed the deployment of US warships to the Caribbean Sea on what Washington insists is a mission to combat drug trafficking, but Caracas believes is aimed at regime change. The US has accused Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro of involvement in drug trafficking – an allegation he strenuously denies – and recently doubled the bounty for his arrest to $50 million.
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