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| Foto:The announcement came after U.S. President Donald Trump accused Colombian President Gustavo Petro of failing to control cocaine production |
VISTORBELITUNG.COM,On Tuesday, September 16, 2025, Colombia officially announced it was halting arms purchases from the United States. The decision was made in direct response to Washington's move to decertify Colombia as an ally in the war on drugs.
The decades-long bilateral relationship, which has been largely underpinned by "Plan Colombia" and its focus on counternarcotics and counterinsurgency, is now at a new low.
The announcement came after U.S. President Donald Trump accused Colombian President Gustavo Petro of failing to control cocaine production, which he claimed had "skyrocketed to all-time highs." In retaliation, Trump declared that Colombia had "failed demonstrably to meet its counternarcotics obligations."
In response, Colombian Interior Minister Armando Benedetti announced via radio broadcast that "from this moment on... weapons will not be purchased from the United States." President Petro, a former leftist guerrilla, has maintained that the Colombian military must end its dependence on U.S. "aid" and begin purchasing or producing weapons with its own resources to strengthen national sovereignty.
While the U.S. move to decertify Colombia is considered largely symbolic as it is not expected to affect the millions of dollars Washington provides annually to fight drug cartels and leftist guerrillas Colombia's decision to halt arms purchases has deeper implications.
It signals a strategic shift in Colombia's foreign policy. The country, once one of Washington's closest military partners in Latin America, is now seeking alternatives. The move is also in line with Petro's earlier decision to suspend arms purchases from Israel.
Colombia's cessation of U.S. arms purchases marks a sharp rebuke to Washington and highlights a deep disagreement between the two countries over drug war strategy. It raises questions about the future of U.S.-Colombia relations and whether Bogotá will be able to navigate this shift without sacrificing vital security support. This situation shows that despite a long history of cooperation, political tensions can quickly erode even the most established alliances.