Colombian President Petro Criticizes Trump, Defends Anti-Drug Achievements Amid Cocaine Seizures

Original article: Trump bajo fuego: Petro lo acusa de desinformado y exhibe 2.700 toneladas de cocaína incautadas en su gobierno

The President of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, sharply responded on Wednesday to remarks from U.S. counterpart Donald Trump, labeling him as «very misinformed» about the realities in South America and showcasing record numbers from his administration’s fight against drug trafficking.

This rebuttal came after Trump implied that Petro might be the next target of pressure, referring to the campaign his administration is waging against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, whom he accuses—without evidence—of being linked to drug trafficking.

In a detailed message posted on his X account, the Colombian leader presented his position, structured around operations, seizure statistics, and a critique of Washington’s anti-drug strategy.

“Trump is a man very misinformed about Colombia. It is a pity, because he dismisses the country that knows the most about cocaine trafficking. It seems his interlocutors completely deceive him,” Petro wrote in the initial part of his message.

To support his argument, the progressive leader listed his administration’s military and intelligence efforts. “There have been over one thousand four hundred forty-six ground combats against the cartels conducted by our armed forces during my presidency and 13 bombings aiming to locate their leaders, many of these fights with shared military intelligence,” he detailed.

However, the cornerstone of his argument was the historic volume of cocaine seized.

“My government has seized 2,700 tons of cocaine, the largest seizure in world history. That is 32 billion doses that did not reach the U.S. or consuming countries,” he stated, presenting this achievement as a direct action to protect consumer nations.

Petro on Duque’s Legacy

Petro also criticized the previous administration of Iván Duque, which he blames for the largest expansion of illicit crops left to his government.

“We inherited from Duque’s government the largest number of hectares of coca leaf in Colombian history, with an annual growth rate of 45%,” he stated, pointing out that Trump himself publicly denounced this outrageous fact in 2020, amid rising coca leaf cultivation during Duque’s term.

According to the president, his policy has begun to reverse this trend, explaining, “By 2025, with satellite measurement taken in August, coca crops have stopped growing.”

“If seizures are increasing and crops are not growing, we are beginning to put pressure on the mafia who prefer to move to Ecuador and Central America,” he asserted.

Call for Democratic Respect and a New Global Strategy

Beyond the figures, Petro defended his legitimacy and criticized the implications of Trump’s statements.

“This terrible misinformation towards the President of the U.S. leads him to phrases and actions that should not be directed at a president democratically elected by the majority of Colombian society. This disrespects Colombia,” he argued.

The Colombian leader distinguished between legitimate political disagreement—“I have different opinions on U.S. policies regarding Palestine, the Caribbean, Venezuela, and the effectiveness of the fight against cartels”—and what he perceives as a mistaken and counterproductive approach in the war on drugs.

“But it is not true that fighting narcoterrorists with missiles targeting fishermen is effective when those fishermen are poor individuals, when there is no international sea in the Caribbean, and when cartel leaders live in yachts near Dubai, in Madrid, etc.,” he challenged the maritime interdiction strategy.

Instead, the Colombian president called for a paradigm shift in addressing drug trafficking.

“I have requested a global plan to target the capitals and assets of drug traffickers… The capital from cocaine no longer enters Colombia. It is in the international financial system. With international police intelligence coordination, we can seize it,” he noted.

Threats and Criticism of U.S. Justice

The message took a personal tone when Petro revealed that his family has been threatened by international cartels due to his stance against drug trafficking in the country.

“Because of these ideas, the international mafias that control cocaine trafficking in Colombia threaten my daughters and my family. I don’t want to see U.S. presidents aiding in these threats. I have fought against drug trafficking for two decades and I am alive by miracle; that is why my people elected me,” he said.

He also criticized the judicial agreements signed between the U.S. and Colombian drug traffickers.

“It is not positive to have clauses in the U.S. justice agreements with Colombian traffickers restricting these criminals from bringing more cocaine to the U.S. without addressing the rest of the world; these criminals end up returning to Colombia to assassinate and export cocaine globally, thus strengthening themselves as multinational mafias,” he explained.

Regional Proposals and Port Control

The Colombian president extended his analysis to the Caribbean context, proposing a youth inclusion plan to counter cartel recruitment.

Simultaneously, he once again questioned the attacks ordered by Trump on vessels, citing the excuse that they transport illegal substances to the United States.

“Cocaine exits more via the Pacific than the Caribbean; it exits more through merchant ships than small boats… Port control is essential, and global and U.S. police coordination is needed to achieve it,” he suggested.

To conclude, Gustavo Petro reaffirmed his legitimacy to advocate for a strategic change.

“For the first time, a president of Colombia is respected in the Caribbean and by the farmers of Colombia; now we can guide them towards voluntary crop substitution, with 30,000 hectares already underway,” he stated.