President of Colombia Gustavo Petro Urrego was placed under sanction by the U.S. Treasury. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)
"Since President Gustavo Petro came to power, cocaine production in Colombia has exploded to the highest rate in decades, flooding the United States and poisoning Americans," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent wrote in a news release. "President Petro has allowed drug cartels to flourish and refused to stop this activity."
Petro responded to the announcement on X, calling the sanction "a complete paradox."
"Indeed, Bernie Moreno's threat has come true; my children, my wife, and I have been added to the OFAC list," Petro wrote in a post. "My lawyer in my defense will be Dany Kovalik from the USA. Fighting drug trafficking for decades and effectively has brought me this measure from the government of the society we helped so much to curb their cocaine consumption. A complete paradox, but not a step back and never on our knees."
The Treasury accused Petro, his wife Veronica, eldest son Nicolás, and Minister of Interior Armando Benedetti of being involved in narcotics trafficking and narcoterrorism, which it said is continuing to fuel violence, corruption and instability in Colombia, while also "posing significant challenges to regional and international security."
"Colombia remains the world’s top producer and exporter of cocaine," officials wrote in a statement. "Cocaine from Colombia is often purchased by Mexican cartels, who then smuggle it into the United States via the southern border. It is a scheduled substance that is a significant drug threat to the United States, despite Gustavo Petro’s recent, flippant comparison of the use of the drug to whiskey."
Petro, a former guerrilla member, was elected to the Colombian presidency in 2022.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro was sanctioned along with his family and an associate. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)
He later admitted to receiving dirty money from a person formerly involved in narcotics trafficking and son of a contractor on trial for financing paramilitaries, according to officials.
President Donald Trump determined Columbia was a major drug transit or major illicit drug producing country on Sept. 15, finding it is "failing demonstrably" to uphold its drug control responsibilities.
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Property and assets belonging to those sanctioned, that are in the U.S. or controlled by people in the U.S., are frozen and must be reported to OFAC. Entities owned 50% or more by those sanctioned are also frozen, and U.S. citizens are generally prohibited from related transactions.
Violations can result in civil or criminal penalties, with OFAC able to impose civil penalties on a strict liability basis.
Principal deputy spokesperson Tommy Pigott added Secretary of State Marco Rubio will not certify Colombia under the criteria of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2024, as carried forward by the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2025.
"The United States will not turn a blind eye to Petro’s appeasement and emboldening of narco-terrorists," Pigott wrote in a statement. "We are committed to bringing terrorists and drug traffickers to justice and preventing deadly illegal drugs from entering our country. There must be no impunity for drug traffickers or acts of terrorism or violence by criminal armed groups."
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"We remain steadfast in our support for Colombian security forces, its justice sector, and departmental and municipal officials, and we will continue to partner with them in our joint efforts to combat drug trafficking," he added. "Today’s decision is not a reflection on these institutions but rather the failures and incompetence of Gustavo Petro and his inner circle."
Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, reacted to the announcement on X, saying "FAFO," an acronym which stands for f--- around and find out.
Alexandra Koch is a Fox News Digital journalist who covers breaking news, with a focus on high-impact events that shape national conversation.
She has covered major national crises, including the L.A. wildfires, Potomac and Hudson River aviation disasters, Boulder terror attack, and Texas Hill Country floods.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/us-sanctions-colombian-president-family-over-drug-trafficking-allegations