He President Gustavo Petro He stated this Wednesday that he will defend himself before the United States Justice against the “slander” of senior officials of that country against him, after his US counterpart, Donald Trump, described him as “bully and a bad guy“and accuse him of manufacturing”many drugs“.
“Of the slander that has been hurled at me in the territory of the USA, senior officials; I will defend myself judicially with American lawyers in the American justice system“Petro wrote in his X account, in the midst of the growing diplomatic tension between Bogotá and Washington over anti-drug policy.
Petro added that he will always be “against genocides and assassinations of power in the Caribbean“.
(Further: The United States suspended all payments and all financing to Colombia).
Of the slander that high officials have hurled at me in the territory of the United States; I will defend myself judicially with American lawyers in the American justice system.
I will always be against genocides and assassinations by those in power in the Caribbean.
When they require our… https://t.co/EQbXYRRQeB
— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) October 22, 2025
From the Oval Office of the White HouseTrump declared this afternoon to journalists that the Colombian president “He has done a lot of damage to his country“, days after announcing the end of financial aid to Colombia for its alleged inaction in the fight against drug trafficking and pointing out Petro as a “drug trafficking leader“.
“They have cocaine factories. They grow all kinds of crap and the bad drugs that enter the United States generally go through Mexico, and you better be careful and take very serious measures against him and his country“Trump added.
(Further: ‘Colombia needs a clear mandate to enter the technological revolution’).
Petro, who has intensified his criticism of Trump since he ordered a military deployment to the Caribbean in August under the pretext of combating drug trafficking, responded that Colombia is willing to fight against drug trafficking together with the States that request its collaboration, including the United States..
Drug trafficking
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“When they require our help to fight drug trafficking, American society will have it. We will fight against drug traffickers with the states that want our help“, concluded the Colombian head of state in his publication.
These statements and Trump’s announcement of the end of aid come amid the escalation of tensions between Colombia and the United States, its main trading partner, due to the war that Washington has declared against drug trafficking.
(You can read: Former presidents of Ecopetrol ask that participation in the Permian (USA) not be sold).
The presence of US military ships and aircraft in the waters of the Caribbean Sea has provoked the rejection of governments such as Colombia and Venezuela.further raising tensions with Trump.
This Wednesday, the Pentagon announced a new attack against an alleged drug boat, this time in Pacific waters off Colombia. So far, Petro has not commented on the matter.
A relationship in tension
Relations between Colombia and the United States are going through one of their most complex moments in recent years. Trump’s recent statements, who accused Petro of alleged links to drug trafficking, unleashed a diplomatic crisis that has tested decades of cooperation between both countries..
Adding to the controversy was Washington’s decision to reduce economic and military assistance to Colombia, an announcement that set off alarms in Bogotá and among the economic sectors.
The themes of drug trafficking, military cooperation and trade They continue to be the axes of friction, while both nations seek to prevent a political dispute from turning into a far-reaching crisis.
PORTFOLIO
*With information from EFE
