President Donald J. Trump, in a social media post on Sunday, referred to Colombian President Gustavo Petro as “an illegal drug dealer” who is “low rated and very unpopular.”
Trump accused President Petro of actively encouraging drug production across Colombia, describing the practice as a major threat to the United States.
Trump claimed that drug cultivation in both large and small fields has become Colombia’s “biggest business by far” and accused Petro of failing to stop it despite significant U.S. financial support.
The president announced that, effective immediately, the United States would no longer make any payments or provide subsidies to Colombia.
“President Gustavo Petro, of Columbia, is an illegal drug leader strongly encouraging the massive production of drugs, in big and small fields, all over Columbia,” Trump wrote.
“It has become the biggest business in Columbia, by far, and Petro does nothing to stop it, despite large scale payments and subsidies from the USA that are nothing more than a long term rip off of America. AS OF TODAY, THESE PAYMENTS, OR ANY OTHER FORM OF PAYMENT, OR SUBSIDIES, WILL NO LONGER BE MADE TO COLUMBIA.”
Trump warned that if the Colombian government did not take immediate action to shut down the drug fields, the United States would intervene directly.
“The purpose of this drug production is the sale of massive amounts of product into the United States, causing death, destruction, and havoc,” he said.
“Petro, a low rated and very unpopular leader, with a fresh mouth toward America, better close up these killing fields immediately, or the United States will close them up for him, and it won’t be done nicely.”
Earlier on Sunday, President Petro accused the U.S. government of carrying out an assassination and demanded answers following the latest American strike in Caribbean waters.
The U.S., however, confirmed on Saturday that it was repatriating two survivors of the attack to Colombia and Ecuador.
This marked the sixth U.S. strike in the region since early September, which has reportedly killed at least 29 people. Washington maintains that the strikes are targeting alleged drug traffickers.
In September, the Trump administration accused Colombia of insufficient cooperation in the war on drugs, though at the time, Washington issued a waiver that prevented sanctions and potential cuts to U.S. aid.
Colombia remains the world’s largest exporter of cocaine, with cultivation of coca, the essential ingredient in cocaine, reaching a record high last year, according to the United Nations.
More recently, the U.S. State Department announced it would revoke President Petro’s visa while he was in New York for the United Nations General Assembly.
The move followed his participation in a protest where he reportedly called on American soldiers to disregard orders from President Trump.
