The international panorama for Gustavo Petro’s government becomes turbulent after the last session of the United Nations (UN).

In an intervention that highlights the cooling of bilateral relations, the United States representation launched harsh questions against the Colombian administration, pointing out a structural failure in containing drug trafficking and violence.

Jennifer Locetta, US delegate for Special Political Affairs, warned that the country’s current instability not only puts Colombians in check, but also represents a latent threat to neighboring nations and the internal security of the United States itself.

The delegate was emphatic in describing what Washington considers a failed security strategy. According to the figures presented, the cessation of eradication efforts has triggered illicit crops, reaching 261,000 hectares of coca, which has injected massive economic resources into illegal groups.

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This drug trafficking bonanza has allowed, according to Locetta, criminal organizations to spread a “reign of terror” characterized by the forced recruitment of minors and the increase in human displacement.

“We ask the government of Colombia to prioritize addressing this threat”claimed the official, making it clear that the White House is closely monitoring the lack of stability in the face of the next national elections.

This diplomatic pressure arises at a critical moment for Petro’s foreign policy. The president has announced that Colombia will stop using the traditional UN methodology (UNODC) to measure hectares of coca, a decision that has generated suspicion in Donald Trump’s government.

The clash of visions on the fight against drug trafficking and the management of illegal armed groups poses a scenario of high tension for the meeting scheduled for February 3 between Petro and Trump.

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