Colombian President Gustavo Petro has made a startling claim about why the United States placed him on a “watchlist.”
In a video shared by Sprinter Press on November 12, Gustavo Petro said the watchlist placement followed his disclosure that the CIA was allegedly using Israeli spyware Pegasus to monitor Colombian citizens.
“The United States placed me on a ‘watchlist’ after I revealed that the Central Intelligence Agency CIA is using the Israeli spyware program Pegasus to monitor Colombian citizens,” he said.
This comes after Colombian President Gustavo Petro suspended intelligence-sharing with the United States, citing US military strikes in the Caribbean that reportedly killed a Colombian fisherman.
Petro announced the decision on his X social media account Tuesday, saying the suspension will remain in effect “as long as missile strikes on vessels in the Caribbean continue.”
Further, he accused the United States of committing an “extrajudicial killing” in the fisherman’s death.
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US Treasury Sanctions Colombian President Gustavo Petro
The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has officially placed Colombian President Gustavo Francisco Petro Urrego on a sanctions list for his involvement in drug-related activities.
In a statement on October 24, the U.S. Treasury announced that several of Petro’s close associates, including his wife and son, would also face sanctions.
“Since President Gustavo Petro took office, cocaine production in Colombia has surged to the highest levels in decades, flooding the United States and endangering American lives,” said U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
“President Petro has allowed drug cartels to flourish and refused to stop this activity. Today, the United States is taking decisive action to protect our nation and make clear that drug trafficking will not be tolerated.”
The designations were made pursuant to Executive Order 14059, which targets foreign individuals involved in the global illicit drug trade.
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US Sanctions: What They Mean
The U.S. has blocked all property and interests of Colombian President Gustavo Petro and his close associates, including his wife and son, that are in the country or controlled by U.S. persons.
Any companies owned 50% or more by the designated individuals are also frozen.
Under the sanctions, U.S. citizens and businesses are generally barred from engaging in transactions with the blocked persons, with civil and criminal penalties for violations.
OFAC noted that the goal of these measures is to encourage behavioral change, not punishment, and outlined a process for seeking removal from the sanctions list.
“Violations of U.S. sanctions may result in the imposition of civil or criminal penalties on U.S. and foreign persons. OFAC may impose civil penalties for sanctions violations on a strict liability basis,” read part of the statement.
“OFAC’s Economic Sanctions Enforcement Guidelines provide more information regarding OFAC’s enforcement of U.S. economic sanctions. In addition, financial institutions and other persons may risk exposure to sanctions for engaging in certain transactions or activities involving designated or otherwise blocked persons.”
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