Colombian President Gustavo Petro has said that a boat recently bombed by the US was 'Colombian with Colombian citizens inside', an allegation the White House called 'baseless'.
The US has struck at least four vessels in the Caribbean in recent weeks, killing 21 people. The US government has said the strikes in international waters were targeting 'narco-traffickers'.
But it has not provided evidence or details about who or what is aboard, and the strikes have attracted condemnation in countries in the region amid concerns they breach international law.
The US Senate rejected a measure on Wednesday that would have barred President Donald Trump from using military force against the boats.
Petro replied to a post on X by US Senator Adam Schiff, a Democrat, who said he would vote to block strikes against vessels in the Caribbean as some lawmakers sought to challenge the use of the armed forces in Congress.
The Colombian president said that a 'new war scenario has opened up: the Caribbean'.
Petro added that 'indications show that the last boat bombed was Colombian with Colombian citizens inside it.' He urged families of those onboard to come forward.
He remarked, '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.'
Petro did not provide further details about the alleged identities of those on board. The US has not commented on the identities of the individuals killed in the strikes.
The White House stated that it 'looks forward to President Petro publicly retracting his baseless and reprehensible statement'.
While the two nations have 'policy differences', the US maintains a 'commitment to close cooperation on a range of shared priorities, including regional security and stability'.
Speaking at the EU Global Gateway Forum in Brussels, Petro said he had asked for all Caribbean foreign ministers to meet regarding the strikes.
The US has stated that its strikes, which began on September 2, targeted vessels off the coast of Venezuela believed to be involved in illegal drug trafficking.
In a recent Senate vote, a measure requiring Trump to seek congressional approval for his military actions was rejected 48-51, breaking down mostly along party lines.
Earlier this month, a leaked memo noted that the US was now categorizing itself as being in a 'non-international armed conflict', a classification potentially justifying military actions.
Trump has labeled numerous cartels in the region as terrorist organizations, enhancing US authorities' capacities in their responses.
