The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued a statement announcing the inclusion of Colombian President Gustavo Petro on the Clinton List due to his efforts in combating drug trafficking.
According to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, the Colombian president has failed to combat drug trafficking organizations. Among his arguments, he cited the increase in cocaine production reaching the United States.
“Since President Gustavo Petro took office, cocaine production in Colombia has skyrocketed to its highest rate in decades, flooding the United States and poisoning Americans,” the official said.
He also indicated that the sanction imposed on the president is intended to protect the United States, given that, in President Donald Trump's opinion, Gustavo Petro is not taking the necessary measures to end the scourge affecting both nations.
“President Petro has allowed drug cartels to thrive and has refused to stop this activity. Today, President Trump is taking strong action to protect our nation and make it clear that we will not tolerate drug trafficking into our country,” he said.
Coca crops and cocaine production continue unabated
According to the State Department, the situation in Colombia under Gustavo Petro's administration is so dire that the country remains the world's leading producer and exporter of cocaine. The drug is acquired by Mexican cartels, who then smuggle it to the United States.
For the Trump administration, this drug poses a high risk to the American population and is far from being"worse than whiskey," as the Colombian president once claimed."It is a regulated substance that represents a significant threat to the United States, despite Gustavo Petro's recent and frivolous comparison of its use to whiskey ," the organization stated.
Thus, he accused the president of failing to fulfill his duties in the fight against drug trafficking and, instead, of granting"benefits to narcoterrorist organizations" under the auspices of his Total Peace Plan. Thus, illicit cocaine crops and production have tended to increase, which means Colombia is considered a transit or production country for illicit drugs.
Petro's"erratic" attitude
And, according to the State Department, while the scourge remains unresolved, the Colombian president is reportedly maintaining a misguided attitude that has significantly affected bilateral relations with the United States, the country's main ally.
“Gustavo Petro's erratic behavior has also further distanced Colombia from its partners in other ways,” he said. As an example, he noted that in 2024, Gustavo Petro shared confidential information obtained about money laundering, which jeopardized the integrity of the international financial system and led to the suspension of the Colombian Financial Intelligence Unit of the Egmont Group.
Furthermore, his support for dictator Nicolás Maduro's regime in Venezuela is being questioned. The United States considers Maduro a criminal linked to drug trafficking and a leader of the Cartel of the Suns, and has therefore established a $50 million reward for information leading to his capture and conviction.
“Gustavo Petro is being designated today pursuant to Executive Order 14059 for having engaged in or attempted to engage in activities or transactions that have materially contributed to or pose a significant risk of materially contributing to the international proliferation of illicit drugs or their means of production,” the State Department added.
