'He's a thug and a bad guy': Trump accuses Petro of 'making a lot of drugs' and suspends all international aid to Colombia

President Donald Trump confirmed on Wednesday the immediate suspension of all payments and subsidies to Colombia, fulfilling a threat issued over the weekend in a dispute with his Colombian counterpart, Gustavo Petro.

The move, announced in the Oval Office during a press conference, escalates tensions with the South American country despite historic bilateral relations on security and migration issues.

"He's a thug and bad guy. He's a guy that is making a lot of drugs. We just as of today stopped all payments going to Colombia," Trump declared, linking Petro's government to drug trafficking once again.

Trump also warned Petro: “better watch it or we’ll take very serious action against him and his country,” alluding to possible additional tariffs and military action.

The attacks between the two leaders

On Sunday, in a post on Truth Social, Trump had accused Petro of "doing nothing to stop" drug production, despite “payments and subsidies from the USA that are nothing more than a long term rip off of America."

The two leaders have clashed repeatedly in recent months, particularly over U.S. military strikes against ships in the Caribbean involved in drug trafficking, in a Republican administration offensive against drug trafficking coming into the country.

Colombia, the world's leading cocaine producer - responsible for nearly two-thirds of global production, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime - had been Washington's most trusted ally in South America on defense and national security issues.

The Department of State proposes to defund Colombia

This fiscal year, the U.S. provided about $210 million in assistance to Colombia, including $31 million in agricultural support, according to Department of State data.

Historically, the Andean country has received billions in security aid, although the closure of USAID this year had already reduced the flow.