Colombian President Gustavo Petro ordered an immediate suspension of intelligence sharing with the United States on Tuesday, citing “extrajudicial executions” in US missile strikes on suspected drug boats that have killed at least 75 people since August. The dramatic move severs decades of counter-narcotics cooperation between Washington and its closest South American ally.
Petro announced the halt on X, stating Colombia’s military must end “communications and other agreements with U.S. security agencies” until attacks on Caribbean vessels cease. “The fight against drugs must be subordinated to the human rights of the Caribbean people,” he declared, calling the strikes “unacceptable” violations of international law.
The suspension follows a CNN report revealing the UK had already stopped sharing intelligence with Washington over concerns its data was being used for lethal strikes. UN human rights chief Volker Türk echoed these concerns, demanding an independent investigation into what his office termed “extrajudicial killings.”
Since September, US forces have conducted at least 19 strikes on 20 vessels, primarily targeting alleged drug traffickers from Venezuela and Colombia. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has defended the operations, calling cartels “the Al Qaeda of the Western Hemisphere” and vowing to hunt and kill them like terrorists. President Trump has released videos of strikes, claiming they combat narcoterrorism, but has provided no public evidence linking victims to drug trafficking.
The decision marks a stunning reversal for a partnership that made Colombia the largest recipient of US military aid in Latin America. Relations have deteriorated sharply since September when Washington decertified Colombia as a counter-narcotics partner—its first such move in 30 years. Tensions escalated in October when Trump imposed financial sanctions on Petro and his family, accusing them of involvement in the global drug trade.
Petro responded by halting arms purchases from the US and now severing intelligence cooperation, potentially crippling American surveillance capabilities in the region. Colombia provides critical human intelligence on cartel operations, while the US supplies satellite imagery and intercepts. Without this exchange, both nations’ anti-drug efforts face major setbacks.
The suspension leaves the Trump administration isolated as UK and Colombian allies reject its lethal tactics. With 75+ dead including Colombian and Ecuadorian fishermen, Petro’s moveforces Washington to choose between its hardline drug war strategy and maintaining vital regional partnerships. The crisis threatens to unravel decades of security cooperation as Latin American leaders unite against what they view as US aggression violating their sovereignty.
Footage Charlie Kirk has been shot
Charlie Kirk has been shot
