US decertifies Colombia as ally in drug fight

BOGOTA, Colombia

The US has decided to decertify Colombia as an ally in the fight against drug trafficking, Colombian President Gustavo Petro announced Monday.

Petro's statement, made during a Cabinet meeting, came minutes before the Trump administration confirmed the decision.

"The United States is decertifying us after dozens of deaths of police officers, soldiers and ordinary people trying to prevent cocaine from reaching them," he said. "Everything we do really has nothing to do with the Colombian people, but rather to prevent American society from smearing their noses."

A memorandum signed Monday by President Donald Trump designated Afghanistan, Bolivia, Myanmar, Colombia and Venezuela as countries that have "failed demonstrably" to meet their obligations under international anti-narcotics agreements, which could affect funding for the countries.

However, the US government applied a "waiver" to exempt all designated countries, with the exception of Afghanistan, from sanctions. This means the decertification is conditional, allowing the US to avoid imposing sanctions for strategic, economic or security reasons.

Petro asserted that his country has been tireless in its efforts to cut off the supply of drugs to the United States and that "cocaine is the drug of capitalism."

Trump's decision is seen as a punitive measure against Colombia for its perceived failure to control coca cultivation, a key factor in the global cocaine trade.

In June, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) released the 2025 World Drug Report, in which Colombia again ranked first as the world's largest producer of coca leaf, with an area of ​​cultivation reaching 253,000 hectares (625,176 acres).

The decision could affect the economic aid that Colombia receives, potentially leading to the loss of nearly $400 million annually earmarked for bilateral cooperation programs. It could also open the door to trade restrictions, including limitations on air travel between the two countries, which would directly impact tourism, and international financing would face additional obstacles.

The decision also further complicates the bilateral relationship between the two countries, which has already been marked by diplomatic crises.