Colombia's cartels produce the most cocaine in the entire world. The country's government has long been a loyal cooperation partner in what the US calls the "war on drugs".
But the Trump administration in the US is now cutting off the cooperation.
Colombia has been a great partner, says Foreign Minister Marco Rubio to the media during an ongoing trip to the Middle East.
– Unfortunately, they now have a president who, apart from being unpredictable, has not been a very good partner when it comes to dealing with the drug cartels.
Disagreement over deportations
Rubio, who himself has a Cuban background, is notoriously hostile to left-wing rule, especially in Latin America. Both he and his boss, President Trump, are now pointing out left-wing President Gustavo Petro as the problem.
I think there are willing partners, if it had been up to the military, the police. We have worked with them for decades.
Also at stake is believed to be that Petro did not want to cooperate in the wave of deportations to Latin America that the Trump administration initiated at the change of power in the US last winter.
The US supports countries that participate in the "war on drugs" economically. In Colombia's case, it has recently been about $380 million, equivalent to 3.5 billion kronor, per year, money that is now at risk.
Changed strategy
After the news of the American decision, Colombia's Interior Minister Armando Benedetti says in a radio interview that "from now on, weapons will not be bought from the US".
Since he took office in 2022, Petro has tried to shift the fight against drugs from forced eradication of crops to focusing on the social problems that underlie the drug trade. The cultivation of coca leaves has increased during his time in power.
In a post on X, he explains the development with "the increased (cocaine) consumption in the world, not least in Europe".
"The world must change its strategy against drugs because it has failed", he adds.
