Petro Accuses Trump of “Colonial Blackmail” After U.S. Decertifies Colombia in Antidrug Fight

Colombian President Gustavo Petro denounced as an “injustice” and a “profound insult against the country” the decision by the United States to decertify Colombia in its counternarcotics policy.

In a public address, the head of state defended national sovereignty and underscored that his government achieved a record seizure of 889 tons of cocaine in 2024, surpassing figures registered by previous administrations. Petro stressed that antidrug strategies should focus on dismantling criminal networks rather than criminalizing farmers.

“Colombia has shed blood in the fight against narco, and now Donald Trump decertifies us. That is not a war on drugs; it is colonial blackmail. Sovereignty is not negotiable,” Petro declared, noting that the country has paid a high human cost to curb cocaine consumption in the United States and Europe.

The remarks came after Washington formally decertified Colombia—removing it from the list of countries deemed by the U.S. to have complied with counternarcotics efforts over the past twelve months.

Petro compared his administration’s seizures with those of prior governments, emphasizing that the 889 tons surpass the 746, 659, 428, 413, and fewer than 200 tons recorded under the presidency of Álvaro Uribe (2002–2014), a Trump ally. “I, four times more than your friend Uribe, Mr. Trump,” he said.

The Colombian leader defended his administration’s shift in drug policy, prioritizing voluntary eradication of crops over forced eradication in order to avoid harming rural communities. “My order was not to burn down the farmers’ homes, Trump. Colombian farmers live in poverty. That is not how the drug problem is solved,” he stated.

According to Petro, this approach has made the fight against drug trafficking more effective by targeting criminal networks instead of small producers.

He also referenced his record in the fight against narco, recalling his work in the Senate between 1998 and 2007, when his debates contributed to 35 percent of senators at the time facing legal proceedings for ties to drug trafficking. “Those mafiosos, friends of politics, I got them sent to prison through my debates and by risking my life,” he said.

Petro reiterated that peace and nonviolent solutions are more effective than war in reducing drug trafficking.

In his speech, the president also questioned the influence of political sectors in Miami, linking them to historic ties between Colombian politicians and drug traffickers. “Be very careful, Mr. Trump, because I have the investigations to prove it,” he warned.

He further rejected ideological criticism and urged for a data-driven approach: “Figures, Mr. Trump, not ideology.”

Petro also addressed the presence of the U.S. Navy in the Caribbean, urging Trump not to threaten other nations. “I gave the order to seize everything that crosses our path without threatening any country in the world, not even yours,” he said.

The president concluded by asserting that Latin American leaders have greater experience in the fight against drugs than the United States, calling the decertification a “profound insult” to Colombia.