Washington: US President Donald Trump has announced that Afghanistan, Bolivia, Burma (Myanmar), Colombia, and Venezuela have been added to a list of countries that the United States believes have "failed demonstrably" to meet their obligations under international counternarcotics agreements over the past year. This decision could potentially impact the level of funding these countries receive from the US.
According to TRTworld.com, the declaration made by President Trump specifies that these countries have not adhered to their obligations under international counternarcotics agreements in the previous 12 months. The statement highlights the situation in Colombia, where coca cultivation and cocaine production have reached unprecedented levels under President Gustavo Petro. The declaration criticizes Petro's attempts to negotiate with narco-terrorist groups, which it claims have worsened the crisis, although it acknowledges the efforts of Colombian security personnel.
In response to the announcement, Colombian President Gustavo Petro expressed regret about the decision through a video message. He emphasized the sacrifices made by Colombian police, soldiers, and civilians in combating drug trafficking. Petro lamented that the US is decertifying Colombia despite the significant loss of lives in the fight against drug cartels and leftist guerrillas funded by drug trafficking.
Colombia's ambassador to Washington, Daniel Garcia-Pena, indicated that US funding had already been affected by the dismantling of USAID. He warned that the US might cut approximately $100 million from programs not directly focused on drug trafficking if President Trump follows through with decertifying Colombia.
The last time Colombia was added to this list was in 1997, during a period when drug cartels had deeply infiltrated the country's power structures. Since 2000, the US has provided billions of dollars in aid to Colombia, but cooperation began to wane about a decade ago when a program to spray coca fields with glyphosate was halted. Under US law, the president is required to annually identify countries that have failed to fulfill their obligations under international counternarcotics agreements during the preceding year.