U.S. sanctions Colombian president amid worsening bilateral relations

The Trump administration on Friday imposed sanctions on Colombian President Gustavo Petro amid deteriorating bilateral relations, accusing Petro of allowing drug cartels to "flourish," according to a statement from the U.S. Department of the Treasury.



"President Petro has allowed drug cartels to flourish and refused to stop this activity," U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in the statement.



Petro's wife Veronica Alcocer, his eldest son Nicolas Petro, as well as Colombia's Minister of the Interior Armando Benedetti, were accused of having provided or attempted to provide support, goods or services to Petro.



As a result of the sanctions, all property and interests in property of these designated or blocked persons that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to the U.S. Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the statement said.



"Gustavo Petro is being designated today pursuant to E.O. (executive order) 14059 for having engaged in, or attempted to engage in, activities or transactions that have materially contributed to, or pose a significant risk of materially contributing to, the international proliferation of illicit drugs or their means of production," the statement said.