On October 24, local time,Central journalistIt was learned that the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the U.S. Treasury announced sanctions against Colombian President Gustavo Petro and Interior Minister Armando Benedetti for drug trafficking activities.
The sanctions included two and two other individuals on the "Special Designated Nationals List," marking a further escalation of the conflict between the U.S. government and Colombia.
Colombian President Petro later expressed his protest against the inclusion of him and his family in the sanctions list by the United States.
On October 22 local time, Colombia President Petro posted on social media that he would file a lawsuit against US President Trump's "defamatory remarks" within the US judicial system. Earlier in the day, in an interview at the White House, Trump called Petro a "villain" and accused him of "manufacturing a lot of drugs." Trump also announced that the United States has suspended all aid to Colombia, citing the country's "inaction in combating drug trafficking."
Colombia has been a traditional ally of the United States in Latin America, but relations between the two countries have recently tightened. The United States has recently attacked several ships in the Caribbean, including Colombian ships, to "fight drug trafficking".In addition to announcing the suspension of aid, Trump has also threatened tariffs on Costa Rica.