Trump pledges to help Colombia’s Petro remove OFAC sanctions

Outgoing Colombian President Gustavo Petro said U.S. President Donald Trump has pledged to assist in efforts to remove him and his family from a U.S. sanctions list, following a phone conversation between the two leaders.

Petro said Trump appeared unaware that he, along with his relatives, remains designated under the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).

“I was surprised that he did not know that my family and I are still on the OFAC list. He promised to take action on this issue,” Petro wrote on X.

According to a statement from the Colombian presidency, Petro also used the call to outline progress in reducing coca leaf cultivation through a voluntary crop substitution program targeting illicit agriculture.

The Colombian leader further indicated his readiness to engage with the administration of president-elect Abelardo de la Espriella, signalling a willingness to ensure continuity in governance and dialogue.

“At the end of the conversation, the President of the United States thanked the President of Colombia and said: ‘As soon as I got to know you, I realised that you are a good person.’ He also expressed hope to discuss other topics with President Gustavo Petro in the future,” the presidency said.

The U.S. Treasury imposed sanctions in October 2025 on Petro, as well as his wife and son, placing them on the OFAC list.

By Tamilla Hasanova