Colombia’s Petro downplays US aid cut impact, accuses Trump of extrajudicial executions

Colombian President Gustavo Petro launched a sharp rebuke of U.S. President Donald Trump’s anti‑drug operations, accusing Washington of conducting “extrajudicial executions” after American military strikes destroyed multiple alleged drug‑trafficking boats. Speaking in Bogotá, Petro said such actions violate international humanitarian law, stressing that even those involved in smuggling “do not deserve disproportionate force.” As U.S. aid and trade tensions escalate, Petro dismissed the financial impact of Trump’s decision to cut funding, explaining that most U.S. aid “never enters the Colombian budget” and mainly benefits U.S.‑based NGOs. He acknowledged, however, that cuts to military assistance could harm Colombia’s defense capacity, calling for national self‑reliance through domestic arms purchases. Petro also warned that new U.S. tariffs—targeting up to 10 percent of Colombian exports—could hit flower exports hardest, urging diversification into new global markets to reduce economic dependence on the United States.