Overview
- The Treasury’s OFAC named President Gustavo Petro, his wife Veronica Alcocer, his son Nicolas Petro, and Interior Minister Armando Benedetti, triggering U.S. asset freezes, visa bans, and prohibitions on transactions with U.S. persons.
- Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said cocaine production in Colombia has surged under Petro, accusing his government of allowing cartels to thrive and harm Americans.
- The Pentagon ordered the USS Gerald R. Ford to the region under President Trump’s directive, and officials said a recent maritime strike in the Caribbean killed six suspected traffickers.
- U.S. media, citing officials, report the White House is weighing strikes against cocaine production and trafficking routes inside Venezuela.
- Petro rejected the sanctions with a defiant message, Benedetti posted “Gringos go home,” and Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro ordered troop deployments and urged a general strike if the country is attacked.