Colombia recalls its ambassador amid Trump’s drug accusations against Petro
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Colombia has recalled its ambassador to the United States amid growing tensions between the two countries and comments by President Donald Trump towards the South American country’s leader.
Colombian Foreign Minister Rosa Yolanda Villavicencio Mapy announced the decision on Monday.
“Colombian Ambassador to the United States, Daniel García-Peña, was recalled to Bogotá for consultations by President Gustavo Petro Urrego,” Mapy wrote on X.
Trump doubles down on Colombia crackdown, calls PETRO ‘MUNATICAL’ and vows to end all US drug payments
Colombian President Gustavo Petro Urrego addresses the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Tuesday, September 23, 2025, at UN Headquarters (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)
The move came a day after Trump criticized Petro, calling him “a leader in illegal drug trafficking who strongly encourages the massive production of drugs, in small and large fields, throughout Colombia.”
“It has become by far the largest company in Colombia, and Petro is doing nothing to stop it, despite large-scale payments and subsidies from the United States that are nothing more than a long-term scam of America,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “As of today, these payments, nor any other form of payment or subsidy, will no longer be made to Colombia.”
Trump continued:
“The purpose of this drug production is the sale of massive quantities of product in the United States, causing death, destruction and chaos. Petro, an unpopular and highly unpopular leader with a cool mouth toward America, had better shut down these battlefields immediately, or the United States will shut them down for him – and that won’t be done well.”
Trump calls Colombia’s Petro a ‘drug leader,’ says US aid will end payments
The Colombian leader recalled his country’s ambassador to the United States amid tensions between the two nations. (War Department: Sebastian Barros/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
On Sunday, Petro condemned a US military strike on a suspected drug trafficking ship that killed three people. He said the boat belonged to a “humble family”, not the left-wing rebel group the National Liberation Army.
“Mr. Trump, Colombia has never been rude to the United States… but you are rude and ignorant to Colombia,” Petro said on X. “As I am not a businessman, I am even less a drug trafficker. There is no greed in my heart.”
Colombian President Gustavo Petro says a U.S. strike on a drug boat was actually carrying a fisherman. (War Department: Sebastian Barros/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
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Petro has repeatedly argued with Trump. He rejected Trump’s accusations and defended his efforts to combat narcotics in Colombia, the world’s largest exporter of cocaine.
“Trying to promote peace in Colombia is not being a drug trafficker,” Petro wrote. He suggested Trump had been misled by his advisers, described himself as “the main enemy” of drugs in his country and said Trump was “rude and ignorant towards Colombia.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
