The head of US diplomacy, Marco Rubio, described Colombian President Gustavo Petro as “crazy” on Wednesday, October 22, following tensions with the leftist leader over a deadly US attack against a ship suspected of drug trafficking.
“I think the Colombian authorities, especially the military and the police, are still very pro-American. The only problem in Colombia is a crazy president,” Marc Rubio told reporters.
“This guy is crazy, crazy! And he’s not in his right mind,” he said.
Tensions between Washington and Bogotá
The United States again attacked a suspected drug trafficking vessel in the Pacific Ocean on Wednesday, raising the total to five deaths in two days, and directly threatened Colombian President Gustavo Petro.
These attacks, which Washington says target drug traffickers in international waters, have so far only occurred in the Caribbean.
US President Donald Trump has called Gustavo Petro a “drug kingpin” and “the worst president Colombia has ever had.” The left-wing elected official responded by announcing that he would file a defamation complaint in US courts.
“Of the slander that has been pronounced against me in the territory of the United States by senior officials, I will defend myself judicially with American lawyers before the American justice system,” declared the leftist leader in X.
Donald Trump declared on Wednesday that financial aid to Colombia had been stopped and attacked Gustavo Petro: “You better be careful, otherwise we will take very serious measures against him and his country.”
Washington and Bogotá, traditionally allies, are going through a period of great tension after months of invective between their presidents.
Source: BFM TV
