His family has already filed a lawsuit against the law enforcement agencies involved. They recently submitted the first ever US-military-airstrike-related formal complaint over his killing in a Caribbean country on September 15th, 2025. The bombing off the coast of Colombia is just a small piece of a controversial campaign by the Trump administration. This effort directly focuses on suspected drug trafficking vessels. We hope that this complaint is just the beginning of a broader challenge to the legality and ethical implications of these military actions.
After U.S. military forces bombed Alejandro Carranza Medina’s boat, this was all part of Operation Leathal Viper, a broader military initiative against Mexican drug cartels. Tragically, the 42-year-old Colombian national was killed in the assault. The White House claims that these airstrikes are legally justified under this new, expansive interpretation of the law. They argue that these measures are necessary to combat drug trafficking that feeds violence and instability in the area. So far, the administration has admitted to 21 of these strikes on drug boats.
Human rights lawyer Dan Kovalik of Pittsburgh filed the complaint with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR). Appropriately enough, the commission’s headquarters is in Washington D.C. Kovalik sought to underscore how serious things are. He noted that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth acknowledged on the record that when he gives the order to bomb, he doesn’t know who he’s bombing.
“From numerous news reports, we know that Pete Hegseth, US Secretary of Defense, was responsible for ordering the bombing of boats like those of Alejandro Carranza Medina and the murder of all those on such boats. Secretary Hegseth has admitted that he gave such orders despite the fact that he did not know the identity of those being targeted for these bombings and extra-judicial killings,” – Dan Kovalik.
The Trump administration has made noise about supporting the frontlines in the battle against drug traffickers. On the day of the bombing, President Trump announced the strike on his nascent Truth Social platform. He released unclassified video footage just before the destruction of the small boat.
“This morning, on my Orders, US Military Forces conducted a SECOND Kinetic Strike against positively identified, extraordinarily violent drug trafficking cartels and narcoterrorists in the SOUTHCOM area of responsibility,” – Donald Trump.
As the centerpiece of their civil rights complaint, Kovalik and Carranza Medina’s family hope to see justice and accountability for his tragic and preventable death. They contend that this litigation is the most realistic way to challenge the ongoing bombing and stop it from happening again.
“We think this is a viable way to challenge the killing of Alejandro. We are going to seek redress for the family. We want the US to be ordered to stop doing these boat attacks. It may be a first step but we think it’s a good first step,” – Dan Kovalik.
Fulfilling the IACHR’s mandate is essential to securing and strengthening human rights across the Americas. The United States should continue to play an active role as a member of this key organization. Earlier this year, the U.S. State Department reaffirmed its support for the Commission’s work—and its independence.
“The United States is pleased to be a strong supporter of the IACHR and is committed to continuing support for the Commission’s work and its independence. Preserving the IACHR’s autonomy is a pillar of our human rights policy in the region,” – U.S. State Department.
This case presents deep issues of accountability for U.S. military force employed overseas. It goes further, though, piercing the veil of their commitments to international human rights norms. Whether this case could have big national impact remains to be seen. It could trigger more widespread conversations about military intervention and action.