Colombia has decided to bring back its ambassador from the United States following President Donald Trump’s announcement of increasing tariffs on the country and halting all payments to it. The dispute arose from U.S. military actions on ships suspected of carrying drugs. President Trump labeled Colombian President Gustavo Petro as an “illegal drug leader,” a remark deemed offensive by Petro’s administration.
The Colombian foreign ministry stated that Ambassador Daniel Garcia-Pena has been summoned back to Bogota for consultations by President Gustavo Petro. The government plans to disclose its decisions in the near future.
President Trump’s accusations against Colombia of involvement in the drug trade have strained relations between the two countries. Petro has criticized the U.S. military’s lethal strikes on vessels in the Caribbean, which the Trump administration asserts were necessary to prevent an imminent threat from “narcoterrorists” linked to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Numerous legal experts and human rights activists have criticized the military operations and questioned their legality, as the U.S. aims to portray drug traffickers on boats as unlawful combatants.
Trump mentioned that financial assistance to Colombia would be terminated, and specifics about the new tariffs would be revealed soon. Colombia was previously a major recipient of U.S. aid in the Western Hemisphere, but the funding flow was abruptly reduced this year due to the closure of USAID.
The U.S. currently imposes a 10% tariff on most Colombian goods, a standard level set by Trump for various countries. Colombia heavily relies on the U.S. as its primary trading partner, with 35% of its exports heading north. The country, known for exporting oil, coal, coffee, flowers, and bananas, registered a trade deficit of $338 million with the U.S. from January to July, according to government data.
Petro strongly criticized the recent bombing of a vessel that resulted in three fatalities, refuting U.S. claims that the boat was affiliated with the National Liberation Army rebel group. He condemned Trump’s statements and emphasized that Colombia has never been disrespectful to the U.S.
Colombia has experienced a surge in coca cultivation, despite decades of foreign assistance from the U.S. to eradicate illegal crops. The U.S.-funded program involving glyphosate spraying faced legal challenges in Colombia due to environmental and health concerns. The area used for cultivating coca, the main ingredient in cocaine, has nearly tripled over the past decade.
The U.S. has not provided substantial information about the recent boat strikes, including the quantity of drugs seized or details about the casualties. Political figures, including Democratic lawmakers and Republican Sen. Rand Paul, are demanding more transparency regarding the military operations, which have resulted in the deaths of at least 32 individuals since early September.
Survivors of the boat strikes have been repatriated to Colombia and Ecuador by the U.S., sparking debates about the legality and justification of the attacks. Democratic Rep. Jim Himes criticized the strikes as illegal and questioned the absence of due process for the survivors.