Far-left Colombian President Gustavo Petro criticized President Donald Trump on Monday for launching the “Shield of the Americas” security coalition without Colombia, arguing that the countries included in the alliance lack the experience needed to combat cocaine trafficking.
Trump unveiled the Shield of the Americas initiative over the weekend, announcing a coalition between the United States and 12 Latin American and Caribbean nations aimed at tackling drug cartels, illegal migration, and regional security threats. The initiative also seeks to counter growing criminal networks and other destabilizing influences across the Western Hemisphere.
The summit included leaders from countries such as El Salvador, Panama, Argentina, the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Bolivia, Trinidad and Tobago, Honduras, and Guyana, along with Chile’s president-elect José Antonio Kast, who is scheduled to take office on March 11.
Notably absent from the coalition was Colombia — the world’s largest producer of cocaine.
Petro criticized the initiative during remarks at the opening of the 69th session of the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs in Vienna, Austria, questioning why Colombia was excluded despite its long history confronting drug trafficking.
“Alliance meetings are held excluding Colombia, when in the case of cocaine, Colombia is essential due to its experience in eradicating it,” Petro said. He argued that the coalition’s members lack the expertise needed to combat the drug trade effectively.
“But I do think that with 17 small, weak countries that lack experience in dealing with cocaine, it’s impossible to create a southern shield,” Petro said. “They’re going to poke holes in it.”
Colombia has been at the center of global drug enforcement efforts for decades. However, Petro’s administration has drawn criticism for its approach to narcotics policy. The former member of the Marxist M-19 guerrilla movement has openly advocated for the legalization of cocaine and has emphasized addressing social and economic factors behind illicit crop cultivation.
According to the latest report from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, cocaine production in Colombia reached record levels in 2023.
Hours after his speech, Petro attempted to clarify his comments on social media, stating he was not criticizing Colombia’s exclusion but instead arguing that the coalition’s members lacked sufficient experience combating cocaine trafficking.
Petro also claimed Colombia maintains law enforcement cooperation with more than 75 countries, including the United States, in efforts to disrupt international drug networks.
Relations between Petro and the Trump administration have been tense for months.
In September, the U.S. State Department designated Colombia as one of several countries failing to meet international counter-narcotics commitments. The move angered Petro, who insisted Colombia’s enforcement efforts had been successful.
Trump later accused Petro of involvement in the drug trade, prompting Petro to fire back by calling the president “rude and ignorant.” The dispute escalated further when the U.S. Treasury sanctioned Petro, members of his family, and Interior Minister Armando Benedetti over alleged links to illicit drug networks.
Petro responded by releasing his financial records in an attempt to refute the allegations. Instead, reports highlighted controversial spending, including a widely criticized visit to a strip club in Portugal during a 2023 trip.
Despite the public clashes, Petro visited the White House in February for a meeting with Trump after months of hostile rhetoric. Shortly after the meeting, Petro ordered a military strike against the Marxist guerrilla groups National Liberation Army (ELN) and Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), marking the first time during his presidency that he authorized bombing operations against the ELN.
