US Congressman Blames Petro for Cooling US-Colombia Relations

US – Colombia relations are declining, as Colombian president Gustavo Petro “does not desire a special relationship with the United States”, according to a statement by US House Representative Mario Diaz-Balart, chair of the House Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs, during a press conference on April, 3, 2024. This statement comes after the recent approval by the US Congress of the Foreign Assistance Budget for Colombia for the upcoming Fiscal Year, on March 21, 2024, which saw a significant reduction, from US$456 million last year to about US$401 million.

US dissatisfaction with Gustavo Petro

House Representative Mario Diaz-Balart provided a revealing perspective on the state of US-Colombia relations. According to the Republican representative, the relationship between the two countries has declined since Gustavo Petro assumed office in August 2022. He indicated, “It seems that [Gustavo Petro] does not desire this special relationship with the United States”, a sentiment that has been reflected in the Colombian President’s “words and actions”, according to the US congressman. Indeed, the Biden Administration has notably commissioned a report on the state of the US – Colombia relations with the US Congress, with a particular emphasis on whether the Petro administration aligns with the national security interests of the U.S.

As a result, the US congressman announced that the deterioration in relations between the US and Colombia has led to its exclusion from a select group of eight countries prioritized for receiving US Foreign Assistance. Although the US Congress’s approval of the 2025 US Foreign Assistance Budget for Colombia was already reduced from the original US$413 million requested by President Joe Biden, Mario Diaz-Balart stated that the funds would be subject to strict conditions. Therefore, Gustavo Petro would need to commit to protecting the rule of law and democracy in Colombia, as well as combating drug trafficking and drug-funded corruption, indicating US discontent with these issues, even though further details were not provided.

The end of the US – Colombia special relations ?

Since the approval of Plan Colombia under the administrations of Bill Clinton and Andres Pastrana, the US and Colombia have maintained a special relationship, characterized by consistent and substantial financial, political, and military support from Washington. While Colombian foreign policy had previously aligned closely with the US, especially during the Venezuelan political crisis, the ascent to power of Gustavo Petro, the first left-wing President in Colombia’s history, has marked a relative decline in the relationship. Although it has never been openly denounced or questioned by the Colombian president, his political stances regarding Venezuela and the war on drugs have cooled relations with the United States, generating a certain mistrust towards Colombia.

However, this decline in the US – Colombia relationship should be nuanced. Indeed, Mario Diaz-Balart belongs to the more radical wing of the Republican Party. Originating from the Cuban faction of the party, the US Congressman is highly outspoken against left-wing and socialist-leaning governments in Latin America, such as those in Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, and now Colombia under Petro’s administration. Additionally, with the US political scene becoming increasingly polarized, this polarization is reflected in Washington’s foreign policy. Nonetheless, the US – Colombia relationship remains strong, as the US is Colombia’s foremost trading partner and foreign investor, as well as the primary supplier and key ally of the Colombian military, with Colombia even recognized as a Non-NATO Major Ally.