State of the World from NPR What have U.S. military strikes on alleged drug boats accomplished?
Jan 27, 2026
John Otis, NPR correspondent reporting from Colombia's Caribbean coast, shares on-the-ground reporting about how U.S. strikes on suspected drug boats reshape coastal life. He describes fishermen fleeing deep-water work. He covers human rights concerns, allies withholding intelligence, Colombia's capture-first navy approach, and how bombings have not stopped drug flows.
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Fisherman Cuts Range Over Strike Fears
- John Otis describes a Colombian fisherman, Iuris Cervantes, who now stays close to shore fearing U.S. strikes.
- Cervantes used to fish 40 miles offshore but avoids deep waters to reduce risk of being mistaken for traffickers.
Allied Intelligence Sharing Has Dried Up
- International partners stopped sharing intelligence because they object to U.S. lethal operations at sea.
- The loss of allied intelligence reduces cooperative counter-narcotics effectiveness in the Caribbean.
Colombian Navy Captures Rather Than Kills
- Colombia's navy prefers capturing suspected traffickers alive and rarely uses lethal force at sea.
- Their approach preserves legal accountability and yields intelligence from detainees, unlike U.S. strikes.