These freedom-loving men and women have shown extraordinary bravery, choosing not to remain silent in the face of genocide, occupation, and apartheid. Their mission was not one of war, but of peace – to deliver aid and solidarity to the besieged people of Gaza who continue to endure unimaginable suffering under the brutality of Israel’s illegal blockade.

We must recall the words of Nelson Mandela, who declared that “our freedom is incomplete without the freedom of the Palestinian people.” Today, those words remain as urgent and true as ever. The interception of this humanitarian flotilla is an affront not only to international law, but to the very spirit of human solidarity that Madiba lived and died for.

We demand the immediate and unconditional release of Nkosi Zwelivelile Mandla Mandela and all detained activists. We call on the international community, the United Nations, the African Union, and progressive governments across the world to intervene without delay. The detained activists must be granted safe passage so they may continue their noble mission to Gaza.

History will remember the courage of these activists who refused to look away. As South Africans, we know too well that the arc of history bends toward justice – but only because men and women of conscience dare to resist oppression.

The struggle of the Palestinian people is our struggle. Their freedom is our freedom. Until Palestine is free, none of us are free.

FREE MANDELA. FREE GAZA. FREE PALESTINE.

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The attacks, reportedly responsible for multiple deaths since the beginning of the month, were ordered as part of Washington’s push to curb the flow of fentanyl and other illegal drugs into the United States. President Donald Trump defended the strikes as necessary to protect Americans, but critics have raised serious concerns about their legality under international law.

Petro questioned why lethal force was used at all, arguing that stopping and seizing the boats would have been enough. “Why launch a missile if you could simply stop the boat and arrest the crew? That is murder,” he said. He stressed that operations against smugglers had been carried out for years without any loss of life, making the airstrikes unnecessary and disproportionate.

The Colombian leader also accused the US administration of humiliating his people and warned that Latin American nations would not bow to Washington’s aggressive stance. He insisted that his criticism did not isolate Colombia but rather highlighted how the US was alienating itself with its foreign policy choices.

The airstrikes have mainly targeted Venezuelan waters, with Washington claiming they hit criminal gangs. However, little detail has been provided about those killed, and international human rights experts have described the killings as extrajudicial executions.

Petro, who has clashed repeatedly with Trump, argued that such actions violated basic principles of human rights and dignity. He emphasized that Colombia has long worked with US agencies to intercept drug shipments without resorting to deadly violence.

As tensions rise, the US has reinforced its military presence in the southern Caribbean, deploying warships and thousands of troops. Meanwhile, Trump has continued to brand several Latin American groups as terrorist organizations and pushed harsher policies across the region.

For Petro, the strikes represent not just a political clash but a moral one. “There is no need to kill anyone,” he said firmly, warning that his country would not submit to heavy-handed tactics.

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