Overview
- Gustavo Petro said the refueling refusal occurred in Cabo Verde and thanked Spain for enabling a military-base stop that allowed his Middle East trip to continue to Riyadh.
- The president announced he will terminate the Fuerza Aeroespacial Colombiana’s overseas fuel contract with the U.S.-linked supplier involved in the incident.
- OFAC placed Petro, his wife Verónica Alcocer, his son Nicolás Petro, and Interior Minister Armando Benedetti on its sanctions list, triggering asset blocks and restrictions on transactions by U.S.-exposed firms.
- Benedetti said his credit card was blocked following the listing, underscoring the financial spillover of the measures.
- U.S. officials cite illicit-drug facts as the rationale without public evidence to date, and the United States has also revoked Petro’s visa and removed Colombia from its drug-cooperation partner list.