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 stated.
Sanctions have also been imposed on Colombia's Interior Minister Armando Benedetti, along with Petro's wife and eldest son, restricting their access to assets in the US.
Colombia was a significant ally in Washington's war on drugs, receiving substantial military aid until Petro's administration took a different approach, leading to frequent clashes with US leaders, particularly Donald Trump.
Bessent commented that since Petro, a former guerrilla, assumed power, cocaine production in Colombia has exploded to the highest rate in decades, flooding the United States and poisoning Americans.
He added that Trump is taking strong action and will not tolerate drug trafficking into the US.
The Treasury indicated that Colombia is the world’s top exporter of cocaine, posing a significant drug threat to the US.
In response to the sanctions, Petro denied the accusations, asserting that he has been fighting drug trafficking for decades and has assisted the US in reducing cocaine consumption.
A complete paradox - but not one step back, and never on our knees, he said on his social media.
The US military has recently increased its operations in the Caribbean, targeting vessels suspected of carrying drugs, which has raised further tensions between the two nations.
Trump's administration also announced the suspension of payments and subsidies to Colombia following Petro’s critical remarks regarding US military actions.
Imposing sanctions on foreign leaders is not unheard of, as similar actions have been taken against leaders in Russia, North Korea, and Venezuela.
