US sanctions Colombia president over drugs, amid escalating row with Trump

The United States on Friday announced sanctions on Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro, who Washington has accused of failing to curb illicit drug trafficking, alongside his wife and eldest son.

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

“President [Donald] Trump is taking strong action to protect our nation and make clear that we will not tolerate the trafficking of drugs into our nation,” he added.

Besides Petro’s family members, the Treasury Department also imposed sanctions on Interior Minister Armando Benedetti.

The sanctions come amid a growing row between Petro and Trump, with Colombia’s leader accusing his US counterpart of “carrying out extrajudicial executions” that “violate international law” by striking alleged drug-trafficking boats.

The US has destroyed 10 vessels and killed at least 43 people in under two months, according to an Agence France-Presse tally based on US figures.