The United States has imposed sanctions on Colombian President Gustavo Petro, accusing him of failing to curb the country’s illegal drug trade. The sanctions also target his wife and son, marking a serious diplomatic escalation between Bogotá and Washington.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that “President Petro has allowed drug cartels to flourish and has refused to stop their activities.”
He added that “President Donald Trump is taking strong action to protect our nation, making it clear that we will not tolerate the trafficking of drugs into our country.”
The move comes amid an ongoing dispute between Petro and Trump, after the Colombian leader accused the U.S. president of conducting “extrajudicial executions” during American strikes on suspected drug-smuggling vessels, claiming such actions violate international law.
According to AFP estimates based on U.S. data, American forces have destroyed 10 vessels and killed at least 43 people in less than two months. Colombia has demanded that Washington halt these operations, which reportedly angered Trump, who retaliated by calling Petro a “bandit” and a “drug trafficker.”
In addition to the sanctions, Trump announced the suspension of hundreds of millions of dollars in U.S. aid to Colombia and threatened to impose tariffs on Colombian exports.
Reacting to the sanctions, President Petro wrote on social media:
“No step back and never on our knees,”
repeating a slogan commonly used by Latin American revolutionary movements.
U.S. officials said the sanctions are linked to the global spread of illegal drugs and materials used for their production.
During a Thursday press briefing, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that Washington “currently sees no sign of de-escalation from Colombia’s reckless leadership.”
