U.S. says Colombia failed to meet drug control obligations under Petro

The United States has designated Colombia as having failed to meet its drug control obligations, citing record levels of coca cultivation and cocaine production under President Gustavo Petro, according to the State Department.

In a presidential determination released on Monday, the State Department said coca cultivation and cocaine output in Colombia have surged to all-time highs and accused Petro’s government of failing to meet even its own “vastly reduced” eradication goals. The department said the failure rests “solely with its political leadership.”

The determination noted that Colombia’s security institutions and local authorities continue to combat terrorist and criminal groups, but said Petro’s policies, including attempts to negotiate with armed groups, have exacerbated the crisis.

“It is U.S. policy that has failed,” Petro said in response to the designation. “To reduce coca leaf cultivation, what is needed is not glyphosate sprayed from planes, but rather a decrease in demand for cocaine, fundamentally in the United States and Europe.”

The designation, known in Spanish as “descertificación,” does not automatically trigger sanctions but can limit access to certain forms of U.S. assistance unless the president determines it is in the U.S. national interest to continue such support.

The State Department said it will reconsider the designation if Colombia takes more aggressive action to eradicate coca, reduce cocaine production, and hold criminal leaders accountable through stronger cooperation with U.S. authorities.