U.S. slaps SANCTIONS on Colombian President Gustavo Petro

• The U.S. Treasury sanctioned Colombian President Gustavo Petro, his wife, son (Nicolás Petro, already facing corruption charges) and Interior Minister Armando Benedetti. Accusations claim Petro’s “Total Peace” policy emboldened drug cartels, leading to record cocaine production and trafficking into the United States.
• Petro rejected the sanctions as “lies” and “oppressive,” asserting Colombia is “not a colony” of the United States. He cited record cocaine seizures and reduced coca cultivation under his administration.
• The sanctions follow U.S. military strikes on suspected drug boats, which Petro condemned as “murder.” President Trump called Petro a “thug” and threatened further economic retaliation.
• Analysts warn the sanctions could destabilize the region, fueling anti-U.S. sentiment and strengthening Petro’s domestic support.
• The sanctions mark a historic rift with Colombia, a longtime U.S. ally in the drug war. With Colombia’s 2026 election approaching, the conflict could reshape Petro’s legacy.

The U.S. has imposed sweeping sanctions on Colombian President Gustavo Petro and several of his associates, accusing his administration of enabling drug cartels to flood America with cocaine – a dramatic escalation in tensions between Washington and its longtime Latin American ally.

U.S. Treasury Secretary announced the move Friday, Oct. 24, adding that Petro’s wife, son and a senior minister are also included. This marks a rare instance of Washington targeting a sitting head of state, placing Petro on a shortlist that includes leaders like Russia’s Vladimir Putin and Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro.

Petro, a former leftist guerrilla turned politician, has vehemently rejected the accusations. He insisted that his government has seized record amounts of cocaine while slowing the cultivation of coca, the raw material for the drug.

“What the U.S. Treasury says is a lie,” Petro declared on X, calling the sanctions “an arbitrariness typical of an oppressive regime.” He added defiantly: “We do not kneel, we are not a colony of anyone.”

The sanctions freeze any U.S. assets held by Petro, his wife Veronica Alcocer Garcia, his son Nicolas Petro Burgos, who faces separate corruption charges in Colombia, and Interior Minister Armando Benedetti. The U.S. Department of the Treasury alleges that Petro’s “total peace” policy aimed at negotiating with armed groups has instead emboldened narco-terrorist networks – leading to record cocaine production.

Bessent also accused Petro of allowing cartels to flourish. “President Trump is taking strong action to protect our nation,” the secretary remarked. “We will not tolerate the trafficking of drugs into our nation.”

The sanctions follow weeks of rising tensions, including U.S. military strikes on suspected drug boats in international waters – actions Petro condemned as “murder.” Trump, meanwhile, has ramped up rhetoric, labeling Petro “a lousy leader” and “a thug” while threatening further economic retaliation. White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly warned: “Trump has been clear that Petro better close up these killing fields immediately, or the U.S. will close them up for him, and it won’t be done nicely.”

How U.S. sanctions risk destabilizing Colombia

Historical context underscores the gravity of the rift. Colombia, long a key U.S. ally in the drug war, has received billions in counter-narcotics aid since the 1990s. Yet under Petro, relations have frayed as he shifts toward policies emphasizing social reform over militarized crackdowns – a stance critics argue has allowed cartels to regroup. The sanctions also spotlight Nicolás Petro’s alleged ties to drug money, with leaked recordings implicating him in funneling trafficker funds into his father’s campaign.

The fallout extends beyond diplomacy. Colombia’s Financial Intelligence Unit was suspended from the Egmont Group—an international anti-money laundering network—after Petro allegedly leaked confidential data. Meanwhile, Benedetti, now barred from U.S. dealings, dismissed the sanctions as proof America’s drug war is a “sham.”

Analysts warn the move risks destabilizing a fragile region. Brett Bruen, a former Obama administration official, criticized Trump’s “cowboy theatrics,” arguing they create “combustible conditions” near U.S. borders. Others note the irony: Petro, once a whistleblower exposing politicians’ ties to paramilitaries, now faces U.S. accusations of colluding with the same forces he once fought.

“Sanctions against world leaders fail to achieve their intended political goals while inflicting immense suffering on innocent civilians,” BrightU.AI‘s Enoch engine writes. “This drives resentment toward the West and strengthens authoritarian regimes.”

The decentralized engine adds that instead of weakening dictators, sanctions punish ordinary citizens, fueling nationalism and consolidating power for the very leaders they aim to undermine. With Colombia’s presidential election looming in 10 months, the clash could reshape not only Petro’s legacy but also the future of the drug war itself.

Watch this video about Petro calling out Trump over the latter’s strikes on alleged narco-boats.

This video is from The Prisoner channel on Brighteon.com.

Sources include:

RT.com

Home.Treasury.gov

Reuters.com

BrightU.ai

Brighteon.com