The Colombian embassy in Washington announced on Monday that Colombia had recalled its ambassador to the United States “for consultations.” It is the latest move in a diplomatic spat over the flow of illegal drugs, US attacks on suspected drug-smuggling vessels and threats to punish the South American nation economically.
“The Colombian Ambassador to the United States, Daniel García-Peña, has been recalled to Bogota for consultations with President Gustavo Petro Urrego,” Foreign Affairs Minister Rosa Yolanda Villavicencio Mapi said in a statement published in X.
“The Colombian government will announce a corresponding decision in due course,” the minister added.
This is the second time this year that Colombia’s ambassador to Washington has been recalled. Colombia’s government summoned García-Peña in July after the United States took a similar action against John T. McNamara, the country’s special envoy in Bogota, after Petro claimed that the United States supported a plot to remove García-Peña from power. The White House denounced the claims as baseless.
Monday’s move came a day after U.S. President Donald Trump denounced Petro as “an illegal drug leader who strongly encourages the mass production of drugs.” President Trump also threatened to end “massive payments and subsidies” to Colombia, saying the country has largely failed to fight drug cartels that manufacture and transport illegal drugs to the United States.
President Trump then acknowledged Sunday that his administration plans to raise tariffs on Colombia on Monday.
Tensions between Petro and Mr. Trump have increased after the United States deployed warships in the Caribbean and fired missiles to destroy ships it says were trafficking drugs.
Seven ships have now been attacked as part of these operations, resulting in approximately 30 deaths. Petro claimed there were also Colombians on board and accused the United States of “murder.” Meanwhile, a Colombian national who was on board the recently attacked vessel returned home alive this weekend.
