Petro Suspends U.S. Intelligence Cooperation After Caribbean Strikes

Colombian President Gustavo Petro has ordered an immediate suspension of all intelligence sharing with U.S. security agencies, escalating tensions between Bogotá and Washington amid growing regional instability. The move follows a series of U.S. missile strikes in the Caribbean, launched by President Donald Trump’s administration, which reportedly targeted suspected drug trafficking boats but have resulted in at least 75 deaths. Petro announced the decision on X (formerly Twitter), stating that “all levels of the public security force’s intelligence services” were instructed to cut off communications and cooperation with U.S. agencies. He emphasized that the suspension would remain in effect “as long as the missile attacks on boats continue.”

Petro’s statement coincided with unconfirmed media reports suggesting that the United Kingdom had also suspended certain security cooperation with the United States, citing legal concerns about the strikes. These developments indicate growing international unease regarding the legality and humanitarian implications of Washington’s military operations in the region. The U.S. has claimed that its attacks are aimed at drug smuggling operations, but critics argue that the strikes have disproportionately affected civilians and regional fishermen from Venezuela, Ecuador, Colombia, and Trinidad and Tobago.

The Colombian president has gone further, calling for Donald Trump to be investigated for war crimes. Petro argued that the missile strikes constitute extrajudicial killings and that the United States is violating international law under the guise of counter-narcotics operations. He reiterated his long-standing criticism of U.S. drug policy, accusing Washington of targeting impoverished coca farmers—the growers of the plant used to make cocaine—instead of focusing on the powerful drug cartels and money laundering networks that drive the global narcotics trade.

Petro’s condemnation followed a personal encounter that underscored the human toll of the strikes. On Sunday, he met with the family of a Colombian fisherman allegedly killed in one of the U.S. attacks. During a summit between Latin American and European Union leaders, Petro denounced the killing, saying, “He may have been carrying fish, or he may have been carrying cocaine, but he had not been sentenced to death. There was no need to murder him.” His remarks drew both sympathy and controversy, with the Trump administration accusing him of being soft on drug traffickers and shielding rebel groups linked to the drug trade from extradition to the United States.

This is not the first clash between Petro and Trump. Their strained relationship worsened in September when Washington revoked Petro’s U.S. visa, accusing him of “reckless and incendiary actions” during his visit to the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Earlier that day, Petro had joined protesters condemning Israel’s war on Gaza and urged U.S. soldiers to “disobey the orders of Trump” and instead “obey the orders of humanity.” After his visa was revoked, Petro responded defiantly, stating, “Revoking it for denouncing genocide shows the U.S. no longer respects international law.”

Adding to the tension, the U.S. Treasury Department recently imposed sanctions on Petro, his family, and Colombia’s interior minister, Armando Benedetti, accusing them of failing to curb the cocaine trade and protecting criminal groups. The sanctions further strained bilateral relations.

Petro’s suspension order came just as the U.S. aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford—the world’s largest—arrived in the Caribbean with 4,000 sailors and tactical aircraft. The Pentagon confirmed the deployment, sparking speculation that Trump’s administration is preparing to intensify its military presence in the region, potentially targeting Venezuela’s government under President Nicolás Maduro, a longtime adversary of Washington.

In sum, Petro’s decision marks a significant deterioration in U.S.-Colombian relations, reflecting broader geopolitical rifts over U.S. military actions, drug policy, and human rights in Latin America.