Colombia has recalled its ambassador to the United States amid a sharp diplomatic fallout between Presidents Gustavo Petro and Donald Trump. The move follows Trump’s threats to cut aid to the South American nation and impose punitive tariffs, marking one of the lowest points in U.S.-Colombian relations in decades.
On Sunday, Trump accused Petro Colombia’s first leftist president of being an “illegal drug leader,” alleging that his government has allowed coca cultivation to rise. The U.S. president further vowed to end all aid to Colombia and hinted at announcing new tariffs targeting the country.
Colombia’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that Ambassador Daniel García Peña had returned to Bogotá for consultations. In a statement, it said further announcements would be made later in the day, signaling possible retaliatory measures.
Tensions flared after U.S. forces destroyed an alleged drug-running vessel linked to Colombia’s National Liberation Army (ELN) in international waters, killing three people. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the operation was part of a broader crackdown on narcotics smuggling. Another recent U.S. strike on a semi-submersible vessel left two survivors, including one Colombian national.
President Petro condemned the attacks as “acts of murder” and accused Washington of violating Colombia’s sovereignty. Since taking office in 2022, Petro has sought to shift Colombia’s anti-drug strategy away from forced eradication, focusing instead on addressing the root causes of drug trafficking. However, coca cultivation has surged by nearly 70 percent under his administration, according to U.N. and government figures.
Colombia, historically one of Washington’s closest allies in Latin America, received $740 million in U.S. aid in 2023 half of it for counter-narcotics efforts. But relations have soured since the U.S. decertified Colombia as a key partner in the drug war last month, prompting Bogotá to halt arms purchases from Washington.
With both leaders trading increasingly hostile rhetoric, analysts warn that the diplomatic rift could reshape U.S.-Latin American relations and undermine decades of joint security cooperation.
