Following Petro’s accusations of murder against the US government and his call for accountability after the recent Caribbean strike, tensions escalate.
Published On 19 Oct 2025
US President Donald Trump has publicly labeled Colombian President Gustavo Petro as a “drug cartel leader,” announcing a significant reduction in financial aid to Colombia.
In a post on his Truth Social account on Sunday, Trump accused Petro of actively promoting widespread drug manufacturing throughout Colombia, repeatedly misspelling the country as “Columbia.”
Trump described Petro as an “unpopular and poorly rated” leader, cautioning that if he does not shut down drug operations voluntarily, the US will intervene forcefully to do so.
He emphasized that the drug production primarily fuels the influx of narcotics into the United States, resulting in widespread devastation and loss of life, and criticized US financial support to Colombia as a misuse of funds.
“Effective immediately, all payments or subsidies will cease,” Trump declared in uppercase letters, though he did not specify which payments were being terminated.
Earlier that day, Petro accused the US government of carrying out an assassination and demanded explanations following the latest US military strike in Caribbean waters.
The US confirmed on Saturday that it was repatriating two survivors from the strike to Colombia and Ecuador. This incident marks the sixth such strike since early September, with at least 29 fatalities. The US maintains these operations target drug traffickers.
Last month, the Trump administration criticized Colombia for insufficient cooperation in the drug war but temporarily waived sanctions that would have cut aid.
Colombia remains the leading global exporter of cocaine, with coca leaf cultivation reaching record levels last year, according to the United Nations. Petro had vowed to curb coca farming through extensive social and military efforts, but results have been limited.
‘Awaiting Clarification’
Diplomatic relations between Bogotá and Washington have deteriorated since Trump’s return to office.
In a recent move, the US revoked Petro’s visa after he participated in a pro-Palestinian rally in New York and urged American soldiers to defy Trump’s commands.
“I call on all US military personnel: do not aim your weapons at humanity,” Petro stated, urging disobedience against Trump’s orders.
Petro revealed that a Colombian fisherman named Alejandro Carranza from Santa Marta was killed in the September 16 strike. He insisted Carranza was uninvolved in drug trafficking and that his vessel was disabled at the time of the attack.
“US officials have committed murder and violated our sovereignty within our territorial waters,” Petro wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
He added that the Colombian boat was adrift, signaling distress with one engine out of commission, and called for a formal explanation from the US government.
Petro stated he had notified Colombia’s attorney general and demanded immediate legal action both domestically and internationally, including in US courts. He continued to post numerous messages condemning the killing.
“The United States has invaded our national waters, launched a missile that killed a humble fisherman, and shattered his family’s life. This is the land of Bolívar, and they are bombing his children,” Petro lamented.
