Colombians caught in fallout of Trump-Petro feud
By Fernando Ramos, Michael Rios, Sebastián Jiménez Valencia, CNN
(CNN) — Colombians are expressing a mix of frustration and worry amid an escalating diplomatic feud between the leaders of Colombia and the United States.
US President Donald Trump has threatened to cut subsidies and raise tariffs on Colombia, which he sees as largely having failed to combat drug cartels producing illegal narcotics and shipping them to the US.
In a Truth Social post on Sunday, Trump accused Colombian President Gustavo Petro of being an “an illegal drug leader strongly encouraging the massive production of drugs.” Petro responded by saying Trump was “rude and ignorant” toward the South American nation.
The remarks — the latest in series of barbs between both leaders — have fueled anxiety among Colombian citizens, who fear the spat could have serious consequences for their lives.
“I don’t think it’s right that the just pay for the sinners. If Trump imposes more tariffs, many jobs will be lost, and many companies will go bankrupt,” said Ángel Duarte, a Colombian taxi driver.
If new tariffs are imposed, the impact on trade would be substantial, as the United States is Colombia’s largest trading partner, accounting for 30% of Colombian exports, according to Colombia’s National Association of Foreign Trade. Oil, coffee, flowers, gold, fruits and manufactured goods are the main products that depend on US purchases. An increase in tariffs would make key exports more expensive and affect workers and consumers.
Sofia Anaya, a housewife in Colombia, worries that the feud will also affect people’s ability to obtain visas. “I have my daughter in the United States, and I have to renew my visa this year,” she told CNN.
She argued that Petro brought this upon himself, given the number of times he has insulted Trump.
Petro has previously clashed with the Trump administration on migration and drug-trafficking issues. In September, he called for US officials, including Trump, to face “criminal proceedings” over US strikes against alleged drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean. The US later revoked Petro’s visa after he spoke at a pro-Palestinian demonstration in New York and called on US soldiers to disobey Trump’s orders.
Colombian university student Gustavo Cuesta, meanwhile, faulted the US president. “Calling President Gustavo Petro a drug trafficking leader is an insult to the entire country. And it must be rejected,” he said. “Trump is not the owner of the world. One must show respect.”
Javier Gaitán, a retiree in Colombia, said both presidents deserve criticism: “They both speak without considering the consequences. Meanwhile, the drug traffickers remain calm. Here in Colombia, the drug issue has no solution. There’s a lot of money involved.”
Trump’s threat to cut off funding would cause Colombia to lose its largest provider of economic and military assistance in the fight against drug trafficking, including resources for the eradication of illicit crops such as coca and opium poppies, which are used to produce cocaine and heroin. Funds total about $450 million annually, although Trump has not specified which items he would cut.
“Petro has to find a way to solve this with the gringos,” said Duarte. “In the end, it’s the people who are hurt.”
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2025 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.
