US Sanctions Colombia for... Refusing to Be a Narco-State?
The mainstream take focuses on Petro's 'new' approach to drug policy—reducing forced eradication of coca in favor of social programs. Apparently, this earns him sanctions from the US Treasury, because Washington prefers the endless, unwinnable 'war on drugs' that has historically destabilized the region, empowered cartels, and filled US prisons. Funny how 'democracy' often translates to 'do what
we say or face economic punishment.' This isn't a 'feud,' it's a playbook. Any Latin American leader who dares to prioritize their nation's economic and social realities over Washington's strategic interests—whether it’s land reform, nationalizing resources, or rethinking drug policy—often finds themselves facing US disapproval, sanctions, or worse, as history from Arbenz in Guatemala to Allende
in Chile amply demonstrates. Petro's 'crime' is trying to move away from a policy that has consistently failed both Colombia and the US for decades. One might wonder if the real problem isn't the drugs, but an independent foreign policy (Source: DW, 'US sanctions Colombia's President Petro').