Bogotá, Colombia – October 25, 2025 – In a sharp escalation of tensions between the United States and Colombia, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions on Friday against Colombian President Gustavo Petro, his son Nicolás Petro, Interior Minister Armando Benedetti, and several close associates. The measures cite the administration's alleged failure to effectively combat illicit drug trafficking, marking a rare instance of the U.S. targeting a sitting head of state from a key Latin American ally.
The sanctions freeze any assets the designated individuals may hold in the United States and prohibit U.S. persons or entities from engaging in transactions with them. OFAC's designation explicitly includes restrictions on Petro's immediate family members and close political allies, aiming to pressure the Colombian government into intensifying its anti-narcotics efforts. According to the Treasury's statement, the action stems from evidence that Petro's administration has not adequately addressed the surge in cocaine production and export from Colombia, which remains the world's top producer of the drug.
Colombian officials swiftly condemned the move as unjust and politically motivated. Interior Minister Armando Benedetti, a vocal defender of President Petro, took to the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to denounce the sanctions. "For having defended the dignity of the country and stated that the president @petrogustavo is not a drug trafficker, they put me on the OFAC list without me having attacked them," Benedetti posted. He emphasized his lack of any ties to drug trafficking, stating, "I have never entered the house of even a single drug trafficker." Benedetti further accused the U.S. of hypocrisy, arguing that the sanctions reveal "every empire is unjust and that its anti-drug fight is a sham for armament[S]ism. In this country, no one buys the story that I am a drug trafficker."
In a follow-up message, Benedetti equated non-violent criticism of U.S. policies with being labeled a criminal in the eyes of Washington. "For the US, a non-violent statement is the same as being a drug trafficker. Gringos go home," he wrote, echoing anti-imperialist sentiments that have gained traction in leftist circles across Latin America.
President Petro's son, Nicolás Petro, who was also added to the sanctions list alongside his father, described the decision as an act of "unprecedented political and judicial persecution." In his own X post, he stated, "For the sole fact of being the son of @petrogustavo they unjustly put me on the Clinton list," referring to the sanctions sometimes colloquially known by that name due to their origins under the Clinton administration's anti-drug policies. Nicolás Petro vowed to challenge the designation internationally, saying, "I will go to international organizations to defend my rights."
The U.S. Treasury's announcement highlighted Colombia's role in the global drug trade, noting that despite billions in U.S. aid over decades through initiatives like Plan Colombia, cocaine production has reached record levels under Petro's government. Officials in Washington pointed to Petro's controversial "total peace" policy, which seeks negotiated settlements with armed groups involved in narcotics, as a factor in the perceived leniency toward drug traffickers. This approach, Petro argues, prioritizes human rights and social justice over militarized eradication efforts favored by the U.S.
The sanctions come amid strained bilateral relations. Petro, Colombia's first leftist president, elected in 2022, has frequently criticized U.S. drug war strategies as ineffective and imperialistic. He has advocated for regulating cocaine as a means to undermine cartels, a stance that has irked Washington. Earlier this year, Petro expelled U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents from certain operations, citing sovereignty concerns.
Analysts view the sanctions as a high-stakes gambit by the Biden administration to compel compliance on counter-narcotics. "This is unprecedented for a democratic ally," said Maria Ramirez, a Bogota-based political scientist at the University of los Andes. "It risks pushing Colombia closer to non-aligned powers like China or Russia, who have been courting Latin America."
In response, President Petro addressed the nation from the Casa de Nariño presidential palace on Friday evening. While not directly named in Benedetti's or his son's posts, Petro reiterated his commitment to a humane drug policy. "We will not bow to foreign pressures that ignore our reality," he said in a televised speech. "Colombia's fight against drugs must be our own, not dictated from abroad."
The designated individuals include not only family members but also key aides accused of facilitating or benefiting from lax enforcement. OFAC's list extends to at least five others, though full details were not immediately disclosed pending formal notifications.
Colombia's Congress, controlled by a fragile coalition supporting Petro, is expected to debate the implications next week. Opposition leaders, including those from the conservative Democratic Center party, have mixed reactions—some criticizing the U.S. for overreach, others faulting Petro for provoking the sanctions through his rhetoric.
Internationally, the move has drawn scrutiny. The Organization of American States (OAS) issued a statement calling for dialogue, while Venezuela's government—long at odds with the U.S.—praised Colombia's defiance. Human rights groups expressed concern over the broad familial sanctions, arguing they could violate due process.
As of Saturday morning, no appeals have been filed in U.S. courts, but legal experts predict challenges under administrative law. Benedetti, a former ambassador to Venezuela, has a history of controversial statements but no prior drug-related charges in Colombia.
The U.S. Embassy in Bogotá declined to comment beyond the Treasury's release, but sources indicate high-level talks are underway to mitigate fallout. Colombia remains a major recipient of U.S. military aid, totaling over $500 million annually, much of it tied to anti-drug operations.
This development underscores the evolving dynamics in U.S.-Latin American relations, where drug policy intersects with ideology and sovereignty. For now, the sanctions stand as a bold assertion of U.S. influence, met with fierce resistance from Bogotá.
