US sanctions, according to Rubio, are not intended to hurt Colombians or their economy
The United States does not want to hurt Colombians or its economy by imposing sanctions on President Gustavo Petro, Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on Saturday.
Petro and his family were placed on a blacklist by Washington on Friday, claiming that he had encouraged and placated “narco terrorists.”
The United States has a “strong and enduring” relationship with the Colombian people and many of the Latin American nation’s institutions, including the security services, Rubio told reporters while traveling from Israel to Qatar.
In the southern Caribbean, the U.S. Navy has increased its involvement, hitting ships in international seas that it has falsely claimed are transporting drugs. The left-leaning president accused the United States of “murder” with the attacks, prompting President Donald Trump to label Petro a “illegal drug leader” this week.
Rubio stated, “This is not a U.S.-versus-Colombia thing,” alluding to the penalties placed on Petro. He continued, “But we separate that from (the people of) Colombia,” referring to the Trump administration’s response to a foreign leader it perceived as hostile. You don’t observe tariff action because of this. We don’t want to hurt the Colombian economy because of this.
