Local News
U.S. Imposes Sanctions on Colombian President Gustavo Petro and Top Officials Over Alleged Drug Trafficking Links
Washington: The United States has announced sanctions against four senior Colombian officials, including President Gustavo Petro and Interior Minister Alfonso Prada, accusing them of involvement in illegal drug-related activities and allowing narcotics production to surge under their administration.
In an official statement, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Besant said that since President Petro assumed office, cocaine production in Colombia has reached its highest level in decades, contributing significantly to the flow of drugs into the United States.
“President Petro has enabled drug cartels to expand their operations and has failed to take necessary measures to curb them,” Besant declared. He added that the U.S. government, under the leadership of President Donald Trump, is taking decisive action to protect its citizens, emphasizing that drug trafficking will never be tolerated on American soil.
The sanctions target financial and economic activities of the listed officials, freezing any assets under U.S. jurisdiction and prohibiting American individuals or entities from conducting business with them. The measures are part of a broader U.S. effort to combat transnational narcotics networks and the governments alleged to support them.
Responding to the announcement, President Gustavo Petro issued a statement on X (formerly Twitter) rejecting the accusations as false and politically motivated. “I have fought against drug trafficking for decades,” Petro said. “Our struggle has helped reduce cocaine use globally. This is a complete contradiction, but we will not take a single step back, nor will we ever bow to pressure.”
With this move, President Petro joins a growing list of world leaders sanctioned by the United States, including Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and others accused of corruption, human rights violations, or criminal activity.
The Colombian government has yet to issue an official diplomatic response, but analysts predict the sanctions could further strain U.S.-Colombian relations, particularly given Colombia’s long-standing role as a key ally in Washington’s regional anti-narcotics strateg
Local News
President Trump Halts All Trade Negotiations with Canada Following Reagan-Themed Ad Controversy
Washington:
U.S. President Donald Trump has announced the immediate suspension of all ongoing trade negotiations with Canada, citing what he described as a “false and misleading” advertising campaign that misrepresented his administration’s trade policies.
According to President Trump, the decision came in direct response to a Canadian advertising campaign that used archival footage of former U.S. President Ronald Reagan, in which Reagan appeared to speak against the imposition of tariffs on imported goods. The ad suggested that Trump’s tariff policies were contrary to Reagan’s free trade philosophy.
“Based on their highly reprehensible behavior, all trade negotiations with Canada are being terminated immediately,” President Trump declared in a post on his social media platform, Truth Social.
The advertisement reportedly drew significant attention in Washington. Ontario Premier Doug Ford acknowledged earlier this week that the ad had reached the U.S. President’s desk. “I learned that the President saw our ad, and he probably wasn’t very happy with it,” Ford told reporters on Tuesday. The Reagan-themed commercial included clips of the former president warning that import tariffs lead to inflation, job losses, and trade wars — messages perceived as a direct critique of Trump’s economic stance.
President Trump has consistently defended the use of tariffs as a strategic economic tool to protect American industries and exert leverage in international trade negotiations. His administration’s tariff policies have resulted in the highest U.S. tariff rates since the 1930s, a move that has sparked both domestic and international criticism from business leaders and economists who warn of long-term economic repercussions.
In response to the U.S. decision, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney reaffirmed that Ottawa will defend its national economic interests, stating, “If ongoing trade negotiations with the United States fail, Canada will not allow unfair American access to its markets under any circumstances.”
This latest escalation marks a sharp setback in U.S.–Canada economic relations. Earlier this year, President Trump imposed heavy tariffs on Canadian steel, aluminum, and automobile imports, prompting Ottawa to introduce retaliatory measures. Negotiations aimed at reaching a new trade framework for these sectors had been underway for several weeks but now appear to have been frozen indefinitely following the President’s announcement.
The abrupt halt in talks underscores the fragility of cross-border trade diplomacy and raises new concerns about the future of North American economic cooperation.