Colombia faces U.S. aid cut, tariffs
Trump lashed out at Petro, saying he was doing nothing to stop cocaine production.
Daily TribuneTrump lashed out at Petro, saying he was doing nothing to stop cocaine production.
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The US announced Sunday another strike against what it called a drug-running boat, this time attacking an alleged Colombian leftist rebel vessel in an apparent expansion of an American military operation off the coasts of South America.
Word of the attack from Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth came as President Donald Trump said the US is halting financial aid to Colombia and will announce tariffs against it on Monday.
The US has had warships deployed in the Caribbean off Venezuela since August and has attacked at least six boats it said were running drugs toward the US, killing at least 27 people so far.
In a strike carried out Friday, three crew members were killed when US forces attacked a vessel affiliated with Colombia’s National Liberation Army, or ELN, Hegseth said.
Hegseth said the vessel was traveling in international waters in an area under the purview of the US Southern Command, which oversees US military operations in Latin America. He did not specify where. Colombia has both Caribbean and Pacific coasts.
Trump, meanwhile, confirmed that the US would be announcing tariffs on Colombia on Monday, after the information was tweeted by Republican Senator Lindsey Graham.
“He (Trump) informed me that he is going to be hitting Colombia, not only their drug dealers and traders, but also where it hurts, in the wallet. He will be announcing major Tariffs against the Country of Colombia,” Graham’s post said.