The US has announced that it has imposed sanctions on Colombian President Gustavo Petro, citing his administration's alleged failure to combat the alleged drug trade.
"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 said in a statement on Friday.
Petro "has allowed drug cartels to flourish and refused to stop this activity," Bessent alleged.
"Today, President Trump is taking strong action to protect our nation and make clear that we will not tolerate the trafficking of drugs into our nation," he added.
In addition to Petro, the US blacklisted his eldest son, Nicolas Fernando Petro Burgos, his wife, Veronica del Socorro Alcocer Garcia and Interior Minister Armando Benedetti.
The State Department previously revoked Petro's visa at the tail-end of September's UN General Assembly session due to remarks he made at a pro-Palestinian rally.
Following the sanctions announcement, the State Department said it would decertify Colombia as a partner in counternarcotics efforts.
"The United States will not turn a blind eye to Petro’s appeasement and emboldening of narco-terrorists," spokesperson Tommy Pigott said in a statement. "We are committed to bringing terrorists and drug traffickers to justice and preventing deadly illegal drugs from entering our country."
Pigott underscored that the decision not to certify Colombia reflects the Trump administration’s criticism of Petro and his inner circle, adding that the US stands ready to support Colombian security forces, justice institutions and local officials in joint efforts to combat drug trafficking.
Petro responds
The Colombian president later responded to Bessent on X, stating what the US Treasury is saying "is a lie."
"Coca leaf crops grew during the Duque government until reaching 230,000 hectares; in my government, after annual growth rates of 42 percent in 2024, I have managed to reduce those rates to 13 percent in 2022, to 9 percent in 2023, and to 3 percent in 2024," Petro said.
"Of the 260,000 hectares that exist in 2024, 80,000 have been abandoned for more than three years, and 22,000 have been voluntarily substituted by the peasantry."
He said that his government seized more cocaine than any point in history, contrary to Washington's claims.
 
"What the US Treasury is doing is an arbitrariness typical of an oppressive regime," he said.
___
Source: TRT