The US imposes sanctions against the President of Colombia

The United States imposes sanctions against Colombia's President Gustavo Petro. The Treasury Department announced this, pointing out that sanctions were also imposed on the Colombian president's son and wife. The interior minister was also sanctioned.

The accusations are of involvement in global drug trafficking and greatly increase tensions with the leftist leader of one of the closest US allies in South America.

Petro "has allowed drug cartels to thrive and has refused to stop this activity," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a note. "President Trump is taking strong measures to protect our nation and make it clear that we will not tolerate drug trafficking in our country."

The move intensifies a growing clash between the Republican US president and Colombia's first left-wing leader, particularly over deadly US attacks on alleged drug transport boats off South America.

This week, the Trump administration extended the crackdown to the eastern Pacific Ocean, where much of the cocaine from the world's largest producers, including Colombia, is smuggled. And as part of an escalation of military firepower in the region, the US military is sending an aircraft carrier to the waters off South America, the Pentagon announced on Friday.