Washington: The United States has placed both Colombia and Venezuela on a list of countries it says have “failed demonstrably” to curb drug trafficking, a designation that could strain diplomatic ties and jeopardize foreign aid. The announcement, made by President Donald Trump and delivered to Congress, also named Bolivia, Afghanistan, and Myanmar among nations falling short of international counter-narcotics commitments.
The U.S. government said Colombia, long regarded as Washington’s closest partner in the hemisphere on anti-drug efforts, is facing record levels of coca cultivation and cocaine production. Officials argued that President Gustavo Petro’s strategies including negotiating with armed groups and experimenting with alternative approaches to eradication have not delivered results. Washington contends that, instead of reducing the trade, Colombia’s policies have allowed it to flourish.
Venezuela came under even sharper criticism. President Trump accused Nicolás Maduro’s government of presiding over “one of the largest cocaine trafficking networks in the world.” The U.S. maintains that Venezuela’s state structures have been infiltrated by criminal cartels, turning the country into a major corridor for cocaine shipments to North America and Europe. Caracas, however, has consistently rejected such claims, dismissing them as politically motivated attacks.
The designation carries more than symbolic weight. It opens the possibility for the U.S. to cut or restrict non-humanitarian and non-counter-narcotics aid to the listed countries. For Colombia, which has traditionally received large amounts of U.S. funding for security and development, the move could translate into significant financial repercussions. The timing is especially sensitive, as Colombia continues to grapple with rural violence, illegal armed groups, and fragile peace efforts.
President Petro responded with sharp criticism, highlighting the human toll Colombia has already paid in combating narcotics. He pointed to the lives lost among soldiers, police, and civilians, arguing that Washington’s judgment fails to recognize the sacrifices made by Colombians on the frontlines of the drug war. His remarks underscored the widening gap between Bogotá’s evolving drug policy and Washington’s expectations.
In Venezuela, the government dismissed the U.S. announcement as yet another attempt to discredit and destabilize the Maduro administration. Officials in Caracas reiterated that the country is committed to sovereignty in its security matters and accused Washington of using narcotics charges as a pretext for broader political pressure.
The announcement also comes against the backdrop of U.S. military operations targeting vessels allegedly linked to Venezuelan traffickers. These strikes, combined with the new designation, signal a hardening of Washington’s posture in the region.
For Latin America, the decision reflects the enduring complexity of drug policy: a blend of enforcement, politics, and diplomacy. While Washington insists its actions are driven by international commitments to fight narcotics, regional governments argue that broader socioeconomic issues from poverty to armed conflict complicate efforts to dismantle trafficking networks.
The inclusion of both Colombia and Venezuela in the same category underscores how Washington’s frustration cuts across ideological divides: from Petro’s left-leaning government to Maduro’s authoritarian regime. What unites them, in the U.S. view, is a failure to curb the production and flow of cocaine that continues to shape global drug markets.
Ultimately, the designations sharpen long-standing tensions and leave open questions about the future of U.S. engagement in Latin America. Whether through sanctions, aid reductions, or intensified enforcement actions, Washington’s message is clear: it expects measurable results in the fight against drugs and is prepared to punish those it deems to be falling short.