Rising Tensions: The Fragile US-Colombia Relationship Amidst Trump and Petro's Clash

Fri Oct 24 2025 22:31:08 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

As allegations fly and aid suspensions loom, the age-old alliance between the US and Colombia faces unprecedented strain, jeopardizing both nations’ efforts against drug trafficking.

The historical alliance between the US and Colombia is rapidly deteriorating amid rising tensions between Presidents Trump and Petro. Following accusations of drug production and military strikes in the Caribbean, both nations risk losing ground against organized crime, which may benefit from their strained relations. Experts warn that the potential cuts to US aid could weaken Colombia’s security forces at a crucial time.

For decades it was one of Washington's closest alliances. United in their fight against drug trafficking, Colombia and the United States co-operated closely, with the latter receiving hundreds of millions of dollars in US military assistance annually. But now that alliance appears be more fragile than ever.

The leaders of the two countries may have a similar style - forceful and not prone to mincing their words - but left-wing Gustavo Petro and Donald Trump come from opposing ends of the political spectrum and have clashed frequently since Trump returned to the White House in January.

On Sunday, tensions reached their highest point when Trump accused Petro of encouraging drug production in Colombia and announced the suspension of payments and subsidies to the South American country. This came after Petro had in turn accused US officials of murdering a Colombian citizen and violating his country's sovereignty in one of the multiple strikes that the US military has carried out against alleged drug vessels in the Caribbean since early September.

BBC Mundo spoke to experts who warned that with the alliance in jeopardy, both Colombia and the US could be at risk of losing out while organised crime groups look set to benefit.

Roots of the US-Colombia alliance

Colombia became one of the main beneficiaries of US aid in the early 2000s, with the money going towards Plan Colombia - a US-funded initiative to combat drug trafficking groups, reduce the flow of drugs to the US, and strengthen the Colombian security forces. This investment is credited with weakening the Farc guerrilla group, which was at war with the state before officially demobilising in 2016.

Since then, US assistance has been reduced and has come under questioning. Despite Colombia's military successes against armed groups, and its recent years of relative stability and security, some analysts doubt whether Plan Colombia truly resolved the drug problem in the long term. Cocaine production is currently at record-high levels in Colombia, according to researcher Héctor Galeano from the Colombia-based Institute of Advanced Social and Cultural Studies of Latin America and the Caribbean.

Eroding support

Military aid is not the only funding Colombia has received from the US in recent decades. With the help of USAID - Washington's foreign policy and development aid agency - Colombia launched several peace and growth projects, especially in poor and conflict-ridden areas. But earlier this year, the Trump administration announced the de facto dismantling of the agency, resulting in many initiatives being cancelled and dozens of jobs lost.

As the US military increases its activities in the Caribbean with operations aimed at drug cartels, both nations face a possible disengagement at a time when collaboration is essential. The deterioration in relations could benefit powerful criminal organizations, allowing them to exploit the chaos left by diminished US-Colombia cooperation.

The need for a stable alliance has never been more critical as both nations navigate the dangerous waters of drug trafficking and political conflict. The world watches as these two leaders clash, potentially compromising not just their nations but the wider fight against organized crime.