**BOGOTA, Colombia** — On Tuesday, Colombian President **Gustavo Petro** ordered his nation’s security forces to cease sharing intelligence with the **United States**. This decision comes amid mounting tensions between Colombia and the U.S., particularly due to the Trump administration’s military strikes on suspected drug traffickers in the Caribbean, which Petro has criticized as extrajudicial killings.
In a message posted on **X**, Petro emphasized that Colombia’s military must immediately halt all “communications and other agreements with U.S. security agencies” until the U.S. stops its attacks on speedboats suspected of drug trafficking. He stated, “The fight against drugs must be subordinated to the human rights of the Caribbean people,” although the specifics of what intelligence sharing will be affected remain unclear. The **White House** has not responded to his latest statements.
Since **August**, the U.S. military has conducted strikes resulting in the deaths of at least **75 people** in international waters. These actions initially targeted the southern Caribbean, near **Venezuela**, but have since moved to the eastern **Pacific**, focusing on vessels off **Mexico**. Petro has called for an investigation into **U.S. President Donald Trump** for war crimes due to the impact of these strikes on civilians from countries such as **Venezuela**, **Ecuador**, **Colombia**, and **Trinidad and Tobago**.
Petro is a long-standing critic of U.S. drug policy, accusing the Trump administration of targeting impoverished coca farmers instead of major drug traffickers. He recently met with the family of a Colombian fisherman allegedly killed in one of the strikes, stressing that the individual had not been sentenced to death and that “there was no need to murder him.”
The Trump administration has labeled Petro as lenient on drug traffickers, criticizing his decision to grant immunity from extradition to Colombian rebel leaders involved in drug trafficking. In **October**, sanctions were imposed on Petro and members of his family due to alleged connections to the global drug trade. Treasury Secretary **Scott Bessent** noted, “Petro has allowed drug cartels to flourish and refused to stop this activity,” highlighting the administration’s commitment to combating drug trafficking.
Tensions further escalated as the U.S. increased its naval presence in the southern Caribbean, deploying eight warships, one submarine, fighter jets, and marines. The **USS Gerald Ford**, an aircraft carrier, is also set to arrive in the region this month. The government of **Venezuela** has condemned this action as a threat to its sovereignty, suggesting that the U.S. may be preparing military strikes against President **Nicolas Maduro**’s government.
Venezuelan Defense Minister **Vladimir Padrino López** announced on Tuesday that military personnel, alongside civilian militias and police officers, would engage in training exercises to safeguard the country’s airspace. His remarks were made during a state television broadcast at a military base in **Caracas**, although no visible training activities were reported in the city.
