US Imposes Sanctions on Colombia President Gustavo Petro Over Drug Control Failures

The United States, under President Donald Trump, imposed sanctions on Colombian President Gustavo Petro, accusing him of allowing drug cartels to flourish and failing to curb cocaine trafficking into the U.S. The sanctions also target Petro's wife, eldest son, and Colombia’s Interior Minister Armando Benedetti, freezing their U.S.-based assets and prohibiting business dealings. This move escalates ongoing tensions as the U.S. military intensified operations in the southern Caribbean, striking vessels alleged to be drug traffickers, which Petro condemns as violations of international law and Colombian sovereignty. Petro disputes the U.S. allegations, asserting his government has seized more cocaine than ever before and challenged the increase in coca crops, labeling the sanctions as paradoxical given his long-standing fight against drug trafficking. Trump called Petro an "illegal drug leader," while Petro accused the U.S. of extrajudicial killings after a civilian was reportedly killed in one of the strikes. This diplomatic rift marks a significant deterioration in U.S.-Colombia relations amid disagreements over drug policy and military actions in the region.