Colombian President Gustavo Petro Slams U.S. Drug-Related Sanctions as 'A Complete Paradox'

The Trump administration's counter-narcotics campaign in South America continues to strain diplomatic relations in the region. Since the first U.S. air strikes targeted vessels allegedly belonging to criminal organizations near Venezuelan waters in early September, Colombian President Gustavo Petro has been one of the most vocal critics of the military operation.

Petro has repeatedly condemned the attacks, calling the fatalities "murders" rather than war casualties, and tensions between the two governments have persisted for weeks.

The dispute escalated after the U.S. imposed sanctions on Petro, alleging he allowed narco-terrorist organizations to thrive under the framework of his "total peace" plan, which the U.S. says has contributed to increased cocaine production in Colombia. Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent added that Petro had also "failed demonstrably" to halt the flow of cocaine into the United States.

The Treasury also sanctioned first lady Verónica Alcocer, his son Nicolás Petro, and Interior Minister Armando Benedetti.

On X, Petro called the sanctions "a complete paradox" and said he had already retained legal counsel in the United States.

"Fighting drug trafficking effectively for decades has brought me this action from the government of the society we have worked so hard to protect from cocaine consumption. A complete paradox. Not a single step back and never on our knees," Petro wrote.

Hours later, he pushed back on Bessent's claims that he was an ally and protector of drug cartels, calling the Treasury Department's assertions false.

Petro noted that during Colombia's previous administration under Iván Duque, coca cultivation reached 230,000 hectares, but since 2022, the annual growth rate of the crop has been declining.

"Of the 260,000 hectares reported in 2024, 80,000 have been abandoned for more than three years, and 22,000 have been voluntarily replaced by farmers. Under my government, cocaine production has not surged; on the contrary, my administration has seized more cocaine than at any other point in history," he said.

"What the U.S. Treasury is doing is an arbitrary action typical of an oppressive regime," Petro added.

Alcocer, Nicolás Petro and Benedetti were sanctioned under authorities that allow Washington to target individuals it accuses of involvement in the global illicit drug trade, as reported by Reuters.

Benedetti said on X that he was penalized simply for stating that Petro was not a drug trafficker and called the sanctions evidence of what he described as a "sham" in the U.S. anti-drug campaign.

The measures freeze any U.S. assets held by the three and generally prevent Americans from conducting business with them.

"President Trump has been clear that Petro must close up these killing fields immediately, or the United States will do it for him, and it will not be done nicely," White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said.