Colombian President Gustavo Petro faced significant challenges in refueling his presidential plane during a trip to the Middle East due to sanctions imposed by the United States. On Thursday, the Colombian government reported that the aircraft, en route to Saudi Arabia, was unable to refuel at Madrid‘s Barajas Airport after officials refused to provide fuel. Following negotiations with Spain’s government, the plane was redirected to a military base for refueling.
The sanctions against Petro were enacted by the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on October 24, 2023. These measures were attributed to accusations from the previous Trump administration, which claimed that Petro had facilitated drug trafficking operations in Colombia. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated last week, “Since President Gustavo Petro came to power, cocaine production in Colombia has exploded to the highest rate in decades, flooding the United States and poisoning Americans.”
As a result of the sanctions, Petro, along with his wife Veronica Alcocer, eldest son Nicolas, and Interior Minister Armando Benedetti, are banned from entering the United States, and their assets in the country have been frozen. Additionally, U.S. companies are prohibited from conducting any business with them.
In a statement on social media platform X, Petro expressed gratitude to the “kingdom of Spain” for facilitating his travel to Riyadh, marking the beginning of a three-nation tour that will also include stops in Qatar and Egypt. Benedetti explained that the aviation refueling company at Barajas hesitated due to fears of breaching U.S. sanctions. “The companies that sell fuel or provide cleaning services or the boarding stairs at airports are almost always American,” he noted, emphasizing the impact of the sanctions on international operations.
The U.S. sanctions against Petro followed months of growing tension between the Colombian president and the Trump administration, particularly concerning issues like U.S. migrant deportations and military actions against suspected drug trafficking vessels off the coast of South America. Earlier this month, in an exclusive interview with CBS News, Petro alleged that some individuals killed in U.S. strikes on these vessels were innocent civilians, reiterating his claims that such actions violate international law. The White House has denied these allegations.
Petro, a former leftist guerrilla, has consistently denied any involvement in drug trafficking, asserting that the cocaine trade is primarily driven by demand in the United States and Europe. In a recent escalation of tensions, the U.S. State Department announced the revocation of Petro’s visa after he participated in a protest in New York City, where he urged American soldiers to disobey orders from President Trump. The department criticized Petro’s actions as “reckless and incendiary” and justified the visa revocation on these grounds.
As President Petro continues his diplomatic journey, the implications of U.S. sanctions on his administration and Colombia’s international relations remain significant. The situation underscores the complexities of international diplomacy amid domestic political challenges and accusations of drug-related activities.
