US Sanctions Colombian President Petro Over Drug Trafficking Allegations

Sat Oct 25 2025 05:30:55 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Sanctions have been imposed by the US on Colombian President Gustavo Petro, marking a significant escalation in tensions over drug trafficking and counter-narcotics efforts.

In a decisive move, the United States has sanctioned Colombia's left-wing President Gustavo Petro, accusing him of failing to manage drug trafficking effectively. The sanctions extend to his Interior Minister, his wife, and his eldest son, freezing their assets in the US. This development signals a growing rift between Petro and the US administration, particularly after claims that cocaine production in Colombia has surged under his regime.

The US has placed sanctions on Colombia's left-wing president, Gustavo Petro, accusing him of failing to curb drug trafficking.

President Petro has allowed drug cartels to flourish and refused to stop this activity, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement.

Sanctions have also been imposed on Colombia's Interior Minister Armando Benedetti, as well as Petro's wife and eldest son. They include barring them from accessing assets and properties they may have in the US.

Colombia was once a close ally of Washington's war on drugs, receiving hundreds of millions of dollars annually in military assistance. But Petro and Trump have clashed frequently since Trump's return to power.

Bessent stated that since Petro, a former guerrilla, came to power, cocaine production in Colombia has exploded to the highest rate in decades, flooding the United States and poisoning Americans. He added that Trump was taking strong action and would not tolerate drug trafficking into the US.

The Treasury reported that Colombia remains the world's top exporter of cocaine, posing a significant drug threat to the US.

In a separate statement, the State Department said it would not certify Colombia's counter-narcotics efforts.

Petro denied the accusations, asserting on social media that he had been fighting drug trafficking for decades and had assisted the US in reducing its cocaine consumption. He labeled the situation as a complete paradox while asserting that he would not back down.

Recently, the US military has increased its presence in the southern Caribbean, taking measures against vessels suspected of transporting drugs. This follows Trump's announcement of a suspension of payments and subsidies to Colombia.

Imposing sanctions on a head of state is an uncommon occurrence but has precedent with other leaders in countries like Russia, North Korea, and Venezuela.