“President Petro has allowed drug cartels to thrive and has failed to curb their activities. Today, President Trump is taking decisive measures to protect our nation and send a strong message that drug trafficking into the United States will not be tolerated,” a spokesperson declared.

Meanwhile, the Colombian president expressed his discontent on social media platform X, stating, “After decades of battling drug trafficking effectively, I now face this action from a government representing a society we aided in curbing their cocaine consumption.”

The sanctions imposed will freeze any U.S.-based assets belonging to the targeted individuals and generally prohibit Americans from engaging in business with them.

White House representative Anna Kelly stated, “President Trump has made it clear that President Petro must shut down these deadly operations immediately, or the U.S. will intervene in a manner that won’t be pleasant.”

Just last month, the United States revoked President Petro’s visa after he participated in a pro-Palestinian rally in New York and encouraged U.S. troops to defy President Trump’s directives.

Sanctions the latest in a string of clashes

Last month, the US revoked Petro’s visa after he joined a pro-Palestinian demonstration in New York and urged US soldiers to disobey Trump’s orders.