The confrontation marks one of the most critical moments in the relationship between Colombia and the United States in decades.
Mexico City, October 22 (However).- The presidents of USA, Donald Trumpand of Colombia, Gustavo Petrostarred this Wednesday in a strong exchange of statements that strains the maximum bilateral relationship between both countries, after today the republican suspend all subsidies to the South American country, cross out his counterpart Colombian “thug” and who owns “drug factories.”
“He’s a thug, he’s making a lot of drugs. They have cocaine factories. He better be careful or we’ll take very serious action against him and his country,” Trump threatened.
The criticism began when Trump, from the White House, described his Colombian counterpart as a “bad guy” and announced immediate economic measures. “As of today we have interrupted all payments to Colombia,” declared the US president.
He informed the world that 17,000 cocaine factories have been destroyed during my government https://t.co/0KQclu7mC6
— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) October 23, 2025
The words of the President of the United States provoked a harsh response from Petro, who assured that he will go to legal proceedings in that country to defend himself. “Of the slander that has been hurled at me in the territory of the United States, senior officials; I will defend myself judicially with American lawyers in the American justice system,” the Colombian president wrote on his X account.
The confrontation marks one of the most critical moments in the relationship between Colombia and the United States in decades, despite the fact that they have historically maintained close cooperation on security and trade.
Trump has presidential immunity
Legal action by the Colombian leader would face challenges in the US courts. Trump has presidential immunity and the First Amendment guarantees freedom of speech, which would make a defamation or slander lawsuit difficult.
Of the slander that high officials have hurled at me in the territory of the United States; I will defend myself judicially with American lawyers in the American justice system.
I will always be against genocides and assassinations by those in power in the Caribbean.
— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) October 22, 2025
Trump called Petro a “drug trafficking leader”, removed Colombia’s certification as an anti-drug ally and withdrew the Colombian President’s US visa.
In this regard, the Colombian Ambassador in Washington pointed out that with these statements by Trump he is being treated “similarly” to that of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Accusing Petro of being a drug lord “makes no sense,” said diplomat Daniel García-Peña in an interview with the AFP in Bogota.
“Unfortunately,” the treatment is “similar to what they are doing with Maduro,” whom Washington accuses of being the head of an alleged drug cartel. That’s “dangerous,” he added.
-With information from DW.
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