Colombia slams US ‘decertification’ on drug policy as political punishment
Colombia’s Foreign Minister Rosa Yolanda Villavicencio has condemned Washington’s decision to exclude the country from its annual list of partners in the fight against drug trafficking, calling it a “political decision” that amounts to a form of punishment.
Speaking at the UN General Assembly in New York, Villavicencio argued that the move “does not reflect the results of Colombia’s efforts against narcotics” but rather the strained state of relations between Bogotá and Washington. The Biden administration recently deployed military assets to the Caribbean, a step rejected by Colombia and several Latin American governments.
The US State Department said Colombia had “failed to meet its obligations” in drug control. This marks the first time since 1997 that Colombia has been excluded from the list, which grants eligible countries access to millions of dollars in US aid to combat drug production and trafficking.
The decision comes as a blow to President Gustavo Petro’s government, which has sought to reform the anti-narcotics strategy while balancing tense ties with Washington. For Bogotá, Villavicencio insisted, “decertification is not about performance—it is a political message”.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
