US President Donald Trump announced that he would impose tariffs on Colombian imports and suspend all financial aid to the South American country, worsening a swiftly developing crisis that has strained relations between Washington and Bogotá.
The declaration followed days of increased rhetoric and military action related to US counter-narcotics operations in the Caribbean.
“I’m stopping all payments to Colombia,” Trump said from Air Force One, without clarifying which aid programs would be affected.
Colombia, formerly one of the main recipients of US help in the Western Hemisphere, has already seen funds cut this year due to the closing of USAID, the US government’s primary humanitarian agency.
Colombian exports to the United States already face a 10% baseline duty, which is identical to the rates Trump has placed on other trading partners, but Trump’s words signal that further increases are imminent.
Details about the new tariff structure are anticipated to be published on Monday.
A diplomatic rift fueled by military strikes
The tensions escalated earlier this week after the US military struck a ship in the Caribbean, which it believed was connected to the Colombian National Liberation Army, a drug trafficking leftist guerrilla group.
US Southern Command, under whose jurisdiction the strike falls, confirmed the ship was destroyed and three people killed, according to Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.
However, Colombian President Gustavo Petro disputed the US narrative, stating the vessel belonged to a “humble family” not connected to any rebel group.
Denouncing that strike and Trump´s comments, he charged that the US president disrespected the sovereignty and dignity of Colombia.
“Since I am not a businessman, I am even less a drug trafficker,” Petro commented on X, formerly Twitter. “There is no greed in my heart.”
Mutual accusations and political fallout
Tensions have progressively risen as both leaders level allegations.
Earlier Sunday, Trump referred to Petro as an “illegal drug leader” and accused his government of involvement in drug production. “They don’t fight drugs; they manufacture drugs,” he told reporters.
Petro’s administration reacted strongly, labelling the remarks “offensive” and an “extremely serious act” that degrades Colombia’s dignity.
The foreign ministry said it will seek international assistance to safeguard the country’s autonomy against what it called Trump’s unfounded accusations.
The feud follows a string of military episodes that have sparked outrage among legal experts and human rights organisations.
The US strikes, which reportedly killed dozens of people, have raised questions about the legitimacy of American activities in the area’s waterways, as well as the possibility of civilian fatalities.
A broader breakdown in relations
The decline in relations between the US and Colombia is a stark downturn from decades of cooperation on counternarcotics and security initiatives.
Petro has promised to tackle coca growing with both social and military solutions, but faced with the intractability of the drug trade in rural areas, results have been slow.
Petro made allegations earlier this month that one of the US strikes hit a Colombian ship, something to which Washington denied.
Tensions escalated even more when the US cancelled Petro’s visa in September after he attended a pro-Palestinian demonstration in New York and urged US troops to disobey orders given by Trump.
According to analysts, relations have reached a historic low as a result of the measures implemented by the administration this week.
Colombia, historically an important partner of the US in its security policy, finds itself now at the epicentre of a political and diplomatic hurricane that continues to broaden.
Now, with Trump getting ready to roll out another set of punitive trade measures, US-Colombia relations might be in tatters, riven by insults and military actions and a steadily widening war of words between two leaders who both appear unwilling to budge.
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