Rights Groups Warn Allies Against Complicity in US Boat Bombings

Led by the Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC), the coalition argues that countries providing intelligence, base access, or logistical support are effectively assisting in extrajudicial killings. Signatories, including Amnesty International and Oxfam America, maintain that these nations cannot claim ignorance of the risks involved in participating in the US-led campaign, which has targeted at least 52 vessels since September.

While the Trump administration justifies the strikes as counter-narcotics efforts, evidence remains scarce. Investigators, including the Associated Press, have identified victims as struggling fishermen or workers forced into low-level transport roles. Legal experts, backed by the ACLU, emphasize that the US is not in an active armed conflict in the region, rendering the targeting of civilians—even those suspected of smuggling—a violation of international law. Despite this, nations such as the Dominican Republic and Trinidad and Tobago continue to facilitate US military maneuvers, while others like Colombia have wavered in their intelligence-sharing commitments. Annie Shiel, US director of CIVIC, warns that continued cooperation normalizes these state-sanctioned killings and undermines the rule of law across the hemisphere.