OAN Staff Brooke Mallory
3:27 PM – Monday, October 20, 2025
Colombia has recalled its ambassador to the United States, Daniel García-Peña, amid deteriorating relations between Bogotá and Washington.
The move follows a series of fierce exchanges between Colombian President Gustavo Petro and President Donald Trump over drug policy, trade, and U.S. military actions in the Caribbean.
According to its official X account, the Embassy of Colombia in the U.S. recalled García-Peña for consultations. In a statement on Monday, Colombia’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that García-Peña was “recalled for consultations,” adding that he was already back in Bogotá.
Additionally, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has stated that U.S. accusations against its president constitute a serious violation of Colombia’s sovereignty and dignity, while also referencing a strike that took place on September 15th.
The diplomatic fallout transpired after U.S. military strikes, earlier this month, targeted vessels suspected of drug trafficking. However, Colombian authorities have since claimed that at least one of those strikes occurred in Colombian waters and that it killed an innocent local fisherman, not a drug trafficker.
More recently, the U.S. government also highlighted another struck vessel linked to Colombia’s National Liberation Army (ELN), a rebel group involved in drug trafficking operations. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth noted that the boat was operating on a known narcotics transit route and that those aboard were all narco-terrorists. The ELN is recognized as a terrorist organization by the U.S.
“On October 17th, at the direction of President Trump, the Department of War conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel affiliated with Ejército de Liberación Nacional (ELN), a Designated Terrorist Organization, that was operating in the USSOUTHCOM area of responsibility,” Hegseth stated.
Regarding the two countries, the back-and-forth turmoil escalated even further after President Trump labeled Petro an “illegal drug leader” encouraging “the massive production of narcotics” across the country — threatening to impose tariffs and end U.S. anti-narcotics aid to Colombia.
“If Colombia won’t stop the drugs, we will — and it won’t be done nicely,” Trump said.
“President Gustavo Petro, of Colombia, is an illegal drug leader strongly encouraging the massive production of drugs, in big and small fields, all over Colombia. It has become the biggest business in Colombia, by far, and Petro does nothing to stop it, despite large-scale payments and subsidies from the USA that are nothing more than a long-term rip-off of America. AS OF TODAY, THESE PAYMENTS, OR ANY OTHER FORM OF PAYMENT OR SUBSIDIES, WILL NO LONGER BE MADE TO COLOMBIA. The purpose of this drug production is the sale of massive amounts of product into the United States, causing death, destruction, and havoc. Petro, a low-rated and very unpopular leader with a fresh mouth toward America, better close up these killing fields immediately, or the United States will close them up for him, and it won’t be done nicely.”
“They have no fight against drugs, and I’m stopping all payments to Colombia because they don’t have anything to do with their fight against drugs.”
Soon after, the Colombian president and his administration officials described Trump’s comments as unacceptable and slanderous, warning they could undermine years of cooperation on counternarcotics and security.
“U.S. government officials have committed a murder and violated our sovereignty in territorial waters. Fisherman Alejandro Carranza had no ties to the drug trade and his daily activity was fishing,” Petro said in a post on X. “The Colombian boat was adrift and had its distress signal up due to an engine failure. We await explanations from the U.S. government.”
In 2023, the son of President Petro was arrested and charged with money laundering and illicit enrichment. Investigations revealed that Nicolás received funds from individuals with past links to drug trafficking, which were purportedly funneled into his father’s 2022 presidential campaign.
The United States is Colombia’s largest trading partner, importing crude oil, coffee, flowers, and textiles under a free-trade agreement signed in 2006 and entered into force in 2012. Analysts say that any new tariffs could deal a severe blow to Colombia’s already fragile economy.
The Trump administration’s threat to end hundreds of millions of dollars in anti-narcotics and security aid also raises questions about the future of “Plan Colombia,” a two-decade U.S.-funded initiative.
While Plan Colombia is credited with weakening some guerrilla groups and strengthening the Colombian military, its long-term impact has fallen short. Despite initial reductions, coca (the shrub used to make cocaine) cultivation has repeatedly rebounded, with some estimates showing more than 200,000 hectares (494,210 acres) under production in recent years. Eradication programs, including aerial fumigation, has also reportedly destroyed legal crops and left farmers with few viable economic alternatives — pushing many back to coca cultivation. In addition to environmental and social costs being substantial as well, aerial fumigation has damaged ecosystems, and local populations have reported health problems linked to herbicides. Meanwhile, the global cocaine market remains largely unaffected.
“This is not just a diplomatic spat — it’s a rupture with real economic and security consequences,” said María Jimena Duzán, a Colombian political analyst. “If cooperation collapses, both countries lose.”
Nonetheless, Colombia’s reliance on U.S. military, financial, and political support makes it the side with more to lose if the relationship sours.
President Petro, a left-wing former guerrilla, has pursued a more controversial foreign policy than his predecessors, often clashing with D.C. over drug policy and U.S. military actions abroad. His government argues that the “war on drugs” has failed and instead advocates for a shift toward regulation and rural development.
In response to the latest confrontation, Petro declared Colombia “will not bow to threats or insults.”
What Happens Next
Officials in Bogotá say they are reviewing all aspects of the bilateral relationship, including trade and security cooperation.
In D.C., the White House has not indicated any plans to de-escalate. However, a senior administration official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, maintained that the U.S. “stands by its actions” and will “continue to defend American interests in the region.
Since Colombia depends more on U.S. support than vice versa, it’s likely that the two countries will eventually seek a diplomatic solution to maintain cooperation in security and trade — best case scenario.
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