Colombia’s leftist President Gustavo Petro asserted on Wednesday that a vessel laden with drugs, intercepted by U.S. forces in international waters last week, was “Colombian with Colombians on board.” The White House promptly contradicted this claim.
In response, the White House urged Petro to retract his “baseless and reprehensible” comments publicly, which led to another outburst from him. As of the latest update, Petro had not backed down from his statement.
On Friday, Secretary of the Army Pete Hegseth announced that the U.S. military had conducted an airstrike on a vessel approaching U.S. shores, reportedly carrying significant amounts of narcotics, resulting in the deaths of four individuals. This operation was part of ongoing efforts under President Trump to combat drug cartels in the Caribbean and reduce drug trafficking into the U.S. The intercepted boat allegedly contained enough drugs to endanger the lives of “25,000 to 50,000 people.”
Petro, known for his strong stance on drug legalization, frequently criticizes U.S. anti-drug military operations. During a speech at the United Nations General Assembly last month, he claimed, without substantiation, that the targeted ship was ferrying “poor migrants.” He reiterated these unfounded claims on social media after the release of video footage of the incident.
Petro mentioned in a social media post on Wednesday that there were signs indicating that the attacked drug containers were “Colombian with a Colombian citizen inside.” He added, “I hope their families will come forward and report it. There is no war against smuggling. There is a war over oil. It must be stopped by the world. The invasion is against all of Latin America and the Caribbean.”
This was shared as a quote from a U.S. Senator, Adam Schiff, who indicated he and Senator Tim Kaine would seek a vote to block President Trump’s military actions against drug trafficking in the Caribbean. As of Wednesday evening, the measure was narrowly voted down, with 48 in favor and 51 against.
According to reports, an unidentified White House official dismissed Petro’s assertions in a statement, expressing hope that he would retract them and engage in constructive dialogue for the benefit of both American and Colombian peoples.
Colombia remains the world’s primary cocaine producer, and authorities have waged a long-term campaign against drug trafficking. Unlike previous administrations, Petro’s government has adopted a more lenient approach, prioritizing efforts against trafficking networks rather than the eradication of coca plants, which are essential for cocaine production.
In March, the Colombian government officially requested the UN to remove coca leaves from its hazardous substances designation. These leaves are typically transformed into cocaine through various processes.
A recent Global Drug Report from the UNODC highlighted a significant rise in cocaine production globally in 2023, attributing this to increased cultivation of coca plants in Colombia. The report noted a 50 percent surge in coca bush areas this year compared to last, marking the beginning of Petro’s presidency.
In September, President Trump announced steps to designate Colombia and several other countries as failing to meet international commitments on drug control. His resolution stated that coca cultivation and cocaine production had reached unprecedented levels under Petro, claiming that attempts to reconcile with drug organizations worsened the crisis.
Petro expressed his outrage and labeled himself a “disqualified” leader during a UN address, asserting that Trump had no right to make decisions affecting Colombia.
There have been accusations against Petro from former members of his government regarding drug addiction. Notably, former Foreign Minister Alvaro Leyva published letters alleging Petro’s drug problems and urging his resignation. Leyva claimed to have evidence of various scandals involving Petro and initiated an investigation into these allegations by Congress.
In September, Leyva reportedly submitted a detailed document to Congress, presenting his accusations and requesting Petro undergo medical testing. This document included a list of alleged irregular acts attributed to Petro.
