Colombia’s president has accused the U.S. of murder after a fisherman was reportedly killed in one of several American strikes on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean. President Trump responded by cutting off aid to Colombia and announcing new tariffs, escalating diplomatic tensions.

Bogotá

The U.S. administration has conducted at least seven strikes on boats in the Caribbean suspected of drug trafficking, leading to heightened tensions with Colombia. Colombian President Gustavo Petro claims that one of the attacks struck a fisherman and has accused the U.S. of murder, while President Trump has responded by cutting aid to Colombia and threatening new tariffs.

Colombians have expressed concern over the potential for escalating military action and economic sanctions, with business leaders and politicians seeking to mitigate the fallout through private diplomacy. The relationship between President Trump and President Petro has been marked by public disputes and diplomatic crises, with the situation now considered particularly delicate.

Reaction in Colombia amid tensions with U.S. over drug boat strikes

Since early September, the Trump administration has struck at least seven alleged drug-carrying boats in the Caribbean. President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, citing U.S. intelligence, have claimed these ships were involved in the illegal drug trade, but the strikes have inflamed tensions with countries in the region. Colombian President Gustavo Petro says one of the attacks hit a fisherman. He has accused the U.S. of murder. In response, President Trump says he cut off aid to Colombia and will impose new tariffs. Margarita Rojas joins us now. She's the Director of International Information at Caracol Television. Thank you, Margarita, for being here. What has the reaction been like in Colombia to these strikes? Hi, Lindsey. Well, the first reaction is concern. On the one hand, there is a fear that military pressure of the offensive against drug trafficking, until now direct at Venezuela, will move to Colombia and escalate to eventual ground operations or to the announced CIA-covered operations, even more considering that President Trump recently accused President Petro of being a drug trafficking leader, an unprecedented level in the confrontation between the two heads of state. On the other hand, many Colombians fear that the political tensions between Presidents Trump and Petro will turn into tariffs on our products and economic sanctions that affect exports and, therefore, jobs. That's why business leaders and politicians with friends in the U.S. have initiated a kind of private diplomacy to try to contain the effects. Of course, there is also a sector of the country where the reaction is one of indignation and rejection of the United States government. But I would say the main reaction is concern. What was the relationship like between President Trump and President Petro before these recent strikes? Well, there have been months of verbal exchanges on social media that have caused at least three very serious diplomatic crises, the most recent just a few hours ago. As you know, the Trump administration decertified Colombia in the fight against drugs and revoked President Petro's visa after his visit to the U.N. General Assembly in New York for participating in a pro-Palestinian protest in which he called on the U.S. military to disobey Trump. And now, following the attacks in the Caribbean Sea, which have involved Colombians and which President Petro has rejected, things are perhaps at their most delicate point. President Petro met last night with John McNamara, the charge d'affaires of the U.S. embassy in Bogota, to seek ways to resolve the situation. But it is uncertain whether that will be possible, given the explosive personalities of Trump and Petro and the growing animosity between them. Margarita Rojas, thank you.

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