The U.S. Trump administration has designated Colombia, the leading South American ally, as a country not cooperating in drug control for the first time in about 30 years. It cited the reason that cocaine production has surged to a record high since a leftist government took power in Colombia.
However, some analysts say this move is in line with the United States' recent strong pressure on leftist governments in South America, including Venezuela. The United States recently conducted military operations in waters near Venezuela under the pretext of a "drug cartel crackdown," sparking controversy over a violation of sovereignty.
U.S. President Donald Trump on the 16th (local time) submitted a document to Congress designating Colombia as a country that has clearly failed to fulfill its drug control obligations. This is the first time in 28 years since 1997 that the United States has designated Colombia as not cooperating in drug control. Colombia was placed on the rogue list alongside Venezuela, Bolivia, Afghanistan, and Myanmar.
Every year, the United States evaluates whether major drug-producing or transit countries are cooperating in drug control efforts and decides on "certification" or "decertification." If certification is canceled, U.S. foreign aid is cut off and the country may face disadvantages in loans from international financial institutions.
However, the Trump administration invoked a "national interest waiver" to maintain aid and security cooperation with Colombia. While the worst-case scenario of an immediate aid cutoff was avoided, the prevailing assessment is that the move dealt a symbolic blow to a relationship built over decades.
The Trump administration said the move was entirely the responsibility of Colombian President Gustavo Petro. Trump said, "Under President Petro's misguided leadership, coca cultivation and cocaine production in Colombia have increased to historic levels." He added, "His failed attempt to compromise with narcoterrorist groups has worsened the crisis."
President Petro pushed back immediately. He said at a Cabinet meeting on the 16th, "The United States designated us as a noncooperative country," adding, "We will not yield to threats." Petro countered that the increase in coca cultivation area began during the tenure of former President Ivan Duque. He emphasized that in 2024 alone, Colombia seized about 900 tons of cocaine, achieving record results in the war against drug trafficking.
Petro instead argued that the root cause of the drug problem lies in demand from Western countries, including the United States. He criticized, "What has the U.S. government done to stop fentanyl and cocaine consumption?" and said, "The entity that should be certified is the U.S. government." The Colombian government went a step further and declared it would halt purchases of U.S. weapons.
South America has experienced a "pink tide" in recent years, with a wave of leftist governments taking power. Countries leading this trend include Colombia (Gustavo Petro), Brazil (Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva), Chile (Gabriel Boric), and Bolivia (Luis Arce). These leftist governments have generally voiced criticism of U.S. foreign policy and emphasized national sovereignty. Among them, Venezuela (Nicolas Maduro), Cuba, and Nicaragua are classified as traditionally anti-U.S. socialist states.
By contrast, in the past few years, more countries have shifted to the right and adopted a pro-U.S. line as power changed hands. Argentina's President Javier Milei and Ecuador's President Daniel Noboa are representative examples. They have emphasized the market economy and cooperation with the United States, drawing a clear contrast with the previous leftist administrations. Paraguay and Uruguay are also cited as countries that maintain relatively stable, friendly relations with the United States.
Until President Petro took office in 2022, Colombia was the most solidly pro-U.S. country in South America. For decades, it maintained close security and economic cooperation with the United States and conducted joint operations to eradicate drug cartels. As Colombia has frequently clashed with the United States since the launch of the leftist government, some analysts say the Trump administration is seeking to make it an example to contain the spread of leftist forces in South America.
The designation of a noncooperative country also came as the Trump administration ramped up pressure on South American leftist governments. During the 2023 presidential campaign, Trump said, "Drug cartels are waging war against the United States," adding, "It is now time for the United States to wage war against the cartels."
Since returning to power in January this year, the Trump administration has designated South American drug cartels as "foreign terrorist organizations (FTO)" and carried out crackdowns using military force. Earlier this month, the United States sank vessels suspected of drug trafficking twice in the Caribbean near Venezuela, leaving 11 people and 3 people dead, respectively. It is an example of how hard-line the Trump administration is on the drug issue.
Colombia is the world's largest producer of cocaine. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), as of the end of 2023, Colombia's coca cultivation area reached 253,000 hectares (about 765 million pyeong). Compared with 2013 (48,000 hectares), it has increased more than fivefold in 10 years.
President Petro shifted the direction of drug policy from forced eradication to focusing on voluntary crop substitution and rural development. However, the United States judged that the new policy failed to reduce the supply of cocaine.
Elizabeth Dickinson, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group (ICG), told NPR, "This step signals tension between Colombia's current coca cultivation policy and the U.S. government, and it conveys U.S. dissatisfaction with the Colombian government."
The move is also expected to have a considerable impact on Colombia's economy. Bloomberg reported on the 16th that Colombian dollar bond prices fell. In an August report, the Association of American Chambers of Commerce warned that if the United States strengthens its travel advisory for Colombia, tourism revenue could fall by up to $1 billion (about 1.38 trillion won) a year.
John Walsh, Director General for drug policy at the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA), pointed out, "Decertification will raise questions about U.S. credibility as a partner, even among its closest allies."