Carranza Medina was a 42-year-old fisherman killed when the U.S. military bombed his small boat in the Caribbean off Colombia’s coast on September 15, 2025, in a strike the Trump administration described as targeting drug traffickers. In this podcast, we have a conversation with human rights lawyer and author Dan Kovalik, who represents the Carranza family and has filed a petition before the Inter‑American Commission on Human Rights arguing that the United States carried out an extrajudicial killing and violated both his right to life and Colombia’s sovereignty.

Kovalik discusses the escalating U.S. military intervention in the Caribbean, analyzing the blockade of Venezuela, deadly strikes on suspected drug boats, and the return of "gunboat diplomacy" under the Trump administration's new "Monroe Doctrine."

The conversation broadens to include the political struggle across Latin America, speculating why the progressive "Pink Tide" has receded and how right-wing forces have become ascendant. From the coups in Bolivia to the resilience of Cuba and Nicaragua, Kovalik draws crucial lessons for the left. Finally, the hosts confront the parallel erosion of democratic norms at home, the weaponization of the law, the dismantling of the administrative state, and the silent crisis in due process. This is a sobering yet essential analysis of modern imperialism and the urgent fight to inform and mobilize public resistance.

Dan Kovalik has taught International Human Rights at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, where he has shared his experience with students and broader audiences on labor struggles, Colombia, and international law. He has lectured internationally on human rights and U.S. foreign policy and has been active in public forums, media appearances, and conferences, including talks on Venezuela and other conflict zones.

He is the author of several books, including:

• • The Plot to Scapegoat Russia (2017), on efforts in U.S. politics to vilify Russia.
  • The Plot to Attack Iran and The Plot to Control the World, extending his critique of U.S. foreign policy and election interference abroad.
  • The Plot to Overthrow Venezuela: How the US Is Orchestrating a Coup for Oil, with a foreword by filmmaker Oliver Stone.
  • No More War: How the West Violates International Law by Using “Humanitarian” Intervention to Advance Economic and Strategic Interests (co-authored, 2020).
  • The Case for Palestine: Why It Matters and Why You Should Care (2024), with a foreword by George Galloway.

Dan Kovalik’s Wikipedia Page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Kovalik

Dan Kovalik’s Books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Dan-Kovalik/author/B06XZ9ZRSD

Greg’s Blog: http://zzs-blg.blogspot.com/

Pat’s Substack: https://patcummings.substack.com/

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