Trump calls Colombia's president an "illegal drug leader" and orders an end to U.S. aid

[ad_1] Washington — President Trump known as Colombia's president an "unlawful drug chief" on Sunday and pledged to finish U.S. assist to the South American nation, following the chief's criticism of U.S. strikes on alleged drug boats within the Caribbean.

Mr. Trump accused Colombian President Gustavo Petro in a submit on Reality Social of "encouraging the large manufacturing of medicine, in massive and small fields."

"It has change into the largest enterprise in [Colombia], by far, and Petro does nothing to cease it, regardless of massive scale funds and subsidies from the USA which are nothing greater than a long run rip off of America," the president stated, persevering with in all caps: "AS OF TODAY, THESE PAYMENTS, OR ANY OTHER FORM OF PAYMENT, OR SUBSIDIES, WILL NO LONGER BE MADE TO COLOMBIA."

Hours earlier, Petro accused the united statesin a collection of X posts of hitting a fishing vessel in a strike it carried out final month, not a ship carrying medicine because it had claimed on the time. The Colombian chief stated a fisherman had been killed within the assault, saying that in doing so the U.S. had "invaded nationwide territory." He made a related allegation earlier this month, claiming one other boat that was struck by the U.S. army carried Colombian residents — which the U.S. denied.

Petro's intervention has added to mounting scrutiny of the administration's strikes, which it has characterised as being a part of a broader effort to fight drug smuggling and stem the circulate of narcotics into the U.S.

It comes after a U.S. strike Thursday on a vessel within the Caribbean Sea, the sixth recognized assault within the space since final month, and the primary through which survivors had been reported. Mr. Trump stated Saturday that the 2 survivors, one from Ecuador and the opposite from Colombia, could be returned to their international locations of origin.

In the meantime, Mr. Trump stated in his submit Sunday that the U.S. will not provide funds and subsidies to Colombia, claiming that the nation's drug manufacturing is meant for "the sale of large quantities of product into the US, inflicting demise, destruction, and havoc."

"Petro, a low rated and really unpopular chief, with a recent mouth towards America, higher shut up these killing fields instantly, or the US will shut them up for him, and it will not be finished properly," the president stated.

Petro pushed again on Mr. Trump's allegations in a submit on X, arguing that he has been the first foe of drug trafficking in his nation lately.

Final month, the Trump administration added Colombia to its record of nations it deems as failing to uphold its duties to manage drug trafficking for the primary time in nearly three many years. The division stated that beneath Petro's management, "coca cultivation and cocaine manufacturing have reached file highs whereas Colombia's authorities failed to satisfy even its personal vastly decreased coca eradication objectives."

On the identical time, the administration issued a waiver permitting Colombia, a conventional U.S. ally in anti-drug trafficking efforts, to proceed to obtain assist.

It's not clear what U.S. funds to Colombia will now be reduce off.

Petro, the primary leftist elected president of Colombia in many years, has repeatedly clashed with the Trump administration in latest weeks. Along with his criticism on social media, he denounced the strikes on alleged drug boats in a speech earlier than the United Nations final month and later, throughout a New York protest occasion, inspired members of the U.S. army to "disobey" Mr. Trump's orders. The transfer prompted the State Division to announce it could revoke Petro's visa.

The strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats have additionally drawn backlash from neighboring Venezuela, which has accused the Trump administration of aggression. The administration has accused Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro of working with drug cartels, which he has denied.