US sanctions Colombian president and family over drug trafficking allegations

The Trump administration’s Treasury Department on Friday approved Colombian President Gustavo Francisco Petro, together with his partner, kid and a close partner, implicating the group of being associated with the international illegal drug trade.

The action was taken under a Biden administration executive order targeting immigrants associated with the drug trade.

Petro signs up with a variety of other world leaders under sanction by the Treasury, consisting of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro and previous president of Syria Bashar al-Assad.

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” Given That President Gustavo Petro concerned power, drug production in Colombia has actually blown up to the greatest rate in years, flooding the United States and poisoning Americans,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent composed in a press release. “President Petro has actually enabled drug cartels to thrive and declined to stop this activity.”

Petro reacted to the statement on X, calling the sanction “a total paradox.”

” Certainly, Bernie Moreno’s danger has actually come to life; my kids, my partner, and I have actually been contributed to the OFAC list,” Petro composed in a post. “My legal representative in my defense will be Dany Kovalik from the U.S.A.. Combating drug trafficking for years and successfully has actually brought me this step from the federal government of the society we assisted a lot to suppress their drug usage. A total paradox, however not an action back and never ever on our knees.”

The Treasury implicated Petro, his partner Veronica, oldest kid Nicolás, and Minister of Interior Armando Benedetti of being associated with narcotics trafficking and narcoterrorism, which it stated is continuing to sustain violence, corruption and instability in Colombia, while likewise “presenting considerable difficulties to local and worldwide security.”

” Colombia stays the world’s leading manufacturer and exporter of drug,” authorities composed in a declaration. “Drug from Colombia is typically acquired by Mexican cartels, who then smuggle it into the United States through the southern border. It is an arranged compound that is a considerable drug danger to the United States, in spite of Gustavo Petro’s current, flippant contrast of using the drug to scotch.”

Petro, a previous guerrilla member, was chosen to the Colombian presidency in 2022.

Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro stated he has actually employed an American lawyer. ( AP Photo/Fernando Vergara, File)

The department implicated him of supplying narco-terrorist companies with advantages under the auspices of his “overall peace” strategy, to name a few policies, which authorities stated have actually caused tape-record highs in coca growing and drug production.

The Treasury likewise declared Petro has actually allied himself with Maduro, who is likewise under U.S. sanction, and the Cartel de Los Soles.

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” Gustavo Petro’s unpredictable habits has actually likewise driven Colombia even more apart from its partners in extra methods,” authorities composed. “In 2024, he shared secret information acquired through safe and secure anti-money laundering interaction channels, threatening the stability of the worldwide monetary system and resulting in the suspension of Colombia’s Financial Intelligence System from The Egmont Group.”

Petro’s kid and political beneficiary, Nicolás, was charged in 2023 with cash laundering and illegal enrichment over claims that he funneled cash gotten from drug traffickers into his daddy’s “overall peace” efforts and election project.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro was approved together with his household and a partner. ( AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)

He later on confessed to getting filthy cash from an individual previously associated with narcotics trafficking and kid of a specialist on trial for funding paramilitaries, according to authorities.

President Donald Trump figured out Columbia was a significant drug transit or significant illegal drug producing nation on Sept. 15, discovering it is “stopping working demonstrably” to support its drug control duties.

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Residential or commercial property and possessions coming from those approved, that remain in the U.S. or managed by individuals in the U.S., are frozen and should be reported to OFAC. Entities owned 50% or more by those approved are likewise frozen, and U.S. residents are usually restricted from associated deals.

Infractions can lead to civil or criminal charges, with OFAC able to enforce civil charges on a stringent liability basis.

Principal deputy representative Tommy Pigott included Secretary of State Marco Rubio will not license Colombia under the requirements of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2024, as continued by the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2025.

” The United States will not disregard to Petro’s appeasement and emboldening of narco-terrorists,” Pigott composed in a declaration. “We are dedicated to bringing terrorists and drug traffickers to justice and avoiding fatal controlled substances from entering our nation. There should be no impunity for drug traffickers or acts of terrorism or violence by criminal armed groups.”

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” We stay unfaltering in our assistance for Colombian security forces, its justice sector, and department and local authorities, and we will continue to partner with them in our collaborations to fight drug trafficking,” he included. “Today’s choice is not a reflection on these organizations however rather the failures and incompetence of Gustavo Petro and his inner circle.”

Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, responded to the statement on X, stating “FAFO,” an acronym which means f– around and discover.