US 'Accidentally' Kills Fisherman, Calls it 'Freedom of Navigation'
Newsweek relayed that Colombian President Gustavo Petro accused the US of 'murdering' a fisherman in a boat 'strike.' The Pentagon, however, issued a statement about a 'navigation incident' during a 'freedom of navigation operation' in 'international waters.' This conveniently omits the US's long history of military presence and intervention in Latin American waters, often under the guise of
anti-drug operations – operations that frequently lead to civilian casualties and destabilization, much like previous US 'interventions' from the Banana Wars to funding Contra rebels. One might wonder if 'freedom of navigation' for US military vessels translates to freedom from accountability for locals. For Washington, a deceased fisherman is a 'navigation incident'; for his family, it's a life
lost to an uninvited military presence. How many 'incidents' before it’s called a pattern?