US Pulls Drug Certification From Colombia After 30 years, Pointing at Petro Over Record Cocaine Boom

The United States has delivered a major blow to Colombia by stripping the South American country of its coveted anti-drug certification for the first time in three decades.

The decision, announced by President Donald Trump in a determination sent to Congress, blames President Gustavo Petro’s government for presiding over a record cocaine boom and for failing to uphold international commitments to fight drug trafficking.

The loss of certification places Colombia alongside countries such as Venezuela, Bolivia, Burma, and Afghanistan, all officially labeled by Washington as failing to meet their counternarcotics obligations.

According to the White House, coca cultivation and cocaine production in Colombia have surged to unprecedented levels. Trump’s statement argues that Colombia “failed demonstrably” to comply with its drug control responsibilities, stressing that the problem lies with Petro’s leadership rather than the Colombian state as a whole.

Petro response was almost immediate: “They decertify us after we are the ones who have seized the most cocaine in history, the ones who have dismantled thousands of laboratories.”

Local police and security forces were praised for their efforts, but Trump said they have been undermined by Petro’s policies. The President pointed directly to the “Total Peace” plan, which sought dialogue with armed groups, accusing it of emboldening narco-terrorist organizations. He claimed that Petro’s approach weakened enforcement and created space for traffickers to expand.

The determination also criticized Colombia’s inability to meet its own coca eradication goals, even after the government reduced targets in recent years. The White House framed the policy shift as evidence of a lack of commitment.

Record Cocaine Boom Confirmed

Independent data supports the U.S. claims of record production. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime reported that Colombia produced an estimated 2,600 metric tons of cocaine in 2023, a 53 percent increase from the previous year. Coca cultivation reached roughly 253,000 hectares, its highest level in two decades.

Colombia today accounts for nearly 70 percent of global coca cultivation and supplies more than 80 percent of the cocaine consumed in the United States.

What Colombia Stands to Lose

The financial consequences could be severe. Without certification, Colombia risks losing over 450 million dollars in aid. This includes more than 240 million for economic and social programs, 171 million for security projects, and around 40 million in direct military assistance.

While the determination acknowledges that U.S. assistance to Colombia remains a matter of national interest, the flow of funds may be delayed or subjected to strict new conditions. That uncertainty could undermine long-term programs already in place in rural regions dependent on U.S. backing.

The decertification recalls earlier tensions in the 1990s, when Colombia lost U.S. certification under President Ernesto Samper. At that time, Bogotá worked to rebuild ties, eventually regaining Washington’s trust.

This new rupture, however, comes at a delicate moment. The U.S. is already expanding military operations in the Caribbean against Venezuelan traffickers. Colombia, once a centerpiece of the U.S. drug war, now risks being viewed as part of the problem.

What Comes Next

Trump’s declaration leaves the door open for a reversal. The statement notes that if Colombia undertakes more aggressive eradication, holds traffickers accountable, and improves cooperation with U.S. authorities, certification could be restored.

Analysts believe Petro faces a crossroads. He can recalibrate his policies to reassure Washington or double down on his call for alternative solutions. With Colombia’s presidential election approaching in 2026, the outcome may also depend on whether a new government emerges that is more closely aligned with U.S. drug policy.

For now, Colombia finds itself in a diplomatic storm. A record cocaine boom, strained relations with Washington, and the risk of losing critical aid leave Petro’s administration facing some of the toughest challenges of his presidency.