Colombia’s president calls Trump a ‘barbarian’ in rift over drug vessel strikes: report
In a significant escalation of tensions between Colombia and the United States, Colombian President Gustavo Petro recently labeled former President Donald Trump a “barbarian” during an interview with NBC News. This remark came shortly after Petro announced his decision to halt intelligence sharing with U.S. security forces until Washington ceases its military strikes on vessels suspected of drug trafficking in the Caribbean. Petro’s stance is rooted in a belief that collaborating with U.S. operations would equate to supporting a “crime against humanity,” highlighting his administration’s commitment to prioritizing human rights over military interventions.
The conflict underscores the broader implications of U.S. drug policy in Colombia, a country that has long been a focal point in the global fight against narcotics. A White House official responded sharply to Petro’s comments, accusing him of being an “illegal drug leader” who exacerbates drug production despite substantial U.S. financial support aimed at countering drug trafficking. The official emphasized that President Trump’s operations to combat drug flow into the U.S. are necessary for national security, framing Petro’s opposition as a reflection of his failed policies in dealing with drug cartels. This back-and-forth illustrates the growing rift between the two nations, with the U.S. insisting on its right to defend its borders against narcotics while Colombia grapples with the human rights implications of such military actions.
Adding to the complexity, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the ongoing operations, dismissing claims that the United Kingdom had halted intelligence sharing with the U.S. in response to recent strikes. Rubio reiterated that the U.S. actions are a legitimate counter-drug operation aimed at protecting American citizens from the threats posed by narcotics trafficking, particularly from Venezuelan regimes that facilitate drug cartels. This situation reflects a broader geopolitical struggle, where U.S. national security interests collide with Colombia’s domestic policies and human rights considerations, creating a challenging environment for both nations moving forward. As tensions rise, the future of U.S.-Colombia relations remains uncertain, with both sides needing to navigate the delicate balance between security and human rights.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro reportedly called President
Donald Trump
a “barbarian” this week, days after he ordered his country’s security forces to stop sharing intelligence with the U.S. until Washington halts its strikes on suspected drug vessels in the Caribbean.
Petro made the remark during an interview published Thursday by
NBC News,
which also quoted the Colombia president as saying his country would not “pass on the information because we would be collaborating with a crime against humanity.”
A White House official reiterated to Fox News Digital on Thursday that Trump has stated that Petro “is an illegal drug leader strongly encouraging the massive production of drugs, despite large scale payments and subsidies from the USA that are nothing more than a long-term rip off of America.”
“As we have said many times, the president directed these actions consistent with his responsibility to protect Americans and United States interests abroad and in furtherance of
United States national security
and foreign policy interests, pursuant to his constitutional authority as commander in chief and chief executive to conduct foreign relations,” the White House official continued.
TRUMP DOUBLES DOWN ON COLOMBIA CRACKDOWN, CALLS PETRO A ‘LUNATIC’
The official added that “despite billions of U.S. taxpayer dollars invested in Colombia’s
counterdrug efforts
, cartels are thriving under Petro’s failed policies” and stated that “it’s hardly surprising that President Petro is opposed to President Trump’s successful operations to halt the flow of drugs to our country.”
In a message on X earlier this week, Petro wrote that Colombia’s military must immediately end “communications and other agreements with U.S. security agencies” until the U.S. ceases its attacks on speedboats suspected of carrying drugs.
Petro wrote that “the fight against drugs must be subordinated to the human rights of the Caribbean people.”
US CARRIES OUT MORE ‘LETHAL’ STRIKES ON ALLEGED DRUG BOATS IN INTERNATIONAL WATERS, HEGSETH SAYS
On Wednesday, Secretary of State
Marco Rubio
pushed back on recent media reporting claiming the United Kingdom also reportedly stopped sharing some intelligence with the U.S. in response to the strikes on suspected drug trafficking vessels.
Reuters cited Rubio
as telling reporters that Britain had not raised concerns directly with him.
“This is a counter-drug operation. The president has ordered it in defense of our country. It continues, it’s ongoing. It can stop tomorrow if they stopped sending drug boats,” Rubio added on Wednesday.
“The Maduro regime is a narco-terrorist regime indicted in the Southern District of the United States for narco-terrorism, but more importantly, they’re also a transshipment organization that allows these groups to operate from their national territory,”
Rubio said
about Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.
“I don’t think the European Union gets to determine what international law is. What they certainly don’t get to determine is how the United States defends its national security. The United States is under attack from organized criminal narco-terrorists in our hemisphere and the president is responding in the defense of our country,”
Rubio also said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Eric
Eric is a seasoned journalist covering US Politics news.
