US Imposes Sanctions on Colombian President Gustavo Petro Amid Escalating Dispute Over Drug Trafficking Allegations

Washington, October 25 The United States on Friday announced sanctions against Colombian President Gustavo Petro, intensifying a growing confrontation between Washington and Bogotá. The move comes as U.S. President Donald Trump accused Petro of enabling the expansion of the cocaine trade and failing to curb the flow of narcotics into the United States. According to the U.S. Treasury Department, the sanctions were imposed due to what it described as Petro’s failure to act against drug cartels. “Since President Gustavo Petro came to power, cocaine production in Colombia has exploded to the highest rate in decades, flooding the United States and poisoning Americans,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated. He further accused Petro of allowing drug cartels to operate freely. “President Trump is taking strong action to protect our nation and make clear that we will not tolerate the trafficking of drugs into our country,” Bessent added. President Petro immediately rejected the accusations, calling them false and politically motivated. In a statement on X, he asserted that his administration had actually increased drug seizures and reduced the expansion of coca cultivation. “What the U.S. Treasury says is a lie. My government did not increase cocaine; it did the opposite. My government has seized more cocaine than in the whole history of the world,” Petro wrote. The Colombian leader described the sanctions as “a complete paradox,” pointing out that he built his political career exposing links between lawmakers and paramilitary groups involved in the cocaine trade. He announced that he had hired a U.S. lawyer to contest the sanctions and told supporters at a rally in Bogotá that he had no assets in the United States. The sanctions also extend to Petro’s wife, his son Nicolás Petro, and Interior Minister Armando Benedetti. The U.S. Treasury said the measures were part of a broader effort to target individuals allegedly connected to the global illicit drug trade. Benedetti dismissed the move as political retaliation, saying he was penalized merely for defending the president and calling the U.S. anti-drug campaign a “sham.” Nicolás Petro, already facing corruption charges in Colombia, claimed he was sanctioned solely for being the president’s son. Under the sanctions, any assets held by those targeted in the United States are frozen, and Americans are prohibited from conducting business with them. White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said, “President Trump has been clear that President Petro better close up these killing fields immediately, or the United States will close them up for him, and it won’t be done nicely.” Relations between the two countries have sharply deteriorated since Trump took office in January. He has accused Petro of obstructing U.S. anti-narcotics operations and even threatened to impose tariffs on Colombian goods. In recent weeks, the United States has conducted military strikes in the southern Caribbean on vessels it claims are carrying narcotics — a move Petro has denounced as a violation of international law. The State Department also confirmed that Secretary of State Marco Rubio will not certify Colombia’s counter-narcotics efforts. The rift deepened after the U.S. revoked Petro’s visa last month, following his participation in a pro-Palestinian rally in New York and his call for U.S. soldiers to disobey orders related to those strikes. Despite past tensions with former President Joe Biden, Petro had maintained limited cooperation with Washington on drug enforcement and climate initiatives. However, analysts warn that Trump’s aggressive stance risks destabilizing U.S.–Latin American relations. Brett Bruen, a former adviser under President Barack Obama, said, “These cowboy theatrics may play well to his base on social media, but they are creating very combustible conditions we will soon have to contend with on our doorstep.” In response, Colombia’s foreign ministry said Petro met with the U.S. charge d’affaires on Sunday night, urging Washington to base its assessments on accurate data regarding Colombia’s ongoing efforts to combat drug trafficking. US Sanctions Colombian President Gustavo Petro Amid Drug Trade Allegations The United States has imposed sanctions on Colombian President Gustavo Petro, accusing him of enabling the growth of cocaine production and failing to curb drug trafficking. President Donald Trump said the move was necessary to protect Americans, while Petro dismissed the claims as false, insisting his government has seized record amounts of cocaine. The sanctions also target Petro’s family and top officials, freezing any U.S. assets. The decision marks a major escalation in tensions between Washington and Bogotá, with Petro calling the move politically motivated and a violation of Colombia’s sovereignty.