Record Cocaine Seizure in Colombia Amidst US Pressure
Buenaventura, Colombia – Colombian authorities have announced teh largest cocaine seizure in a decade, uncovering a massive stash in the strategic port city of Buenaventura. The operation, described by President Gustavo Petro as one where “deaths were avoided,” yielded dozens of 50-kilogram bags of cocaine disguised as a different mixture, according to the Ministry of Defense, which reported the find on Platform X.
This record seizure comes at a critical juncture as relations between Colombia and the United States are increasingly strained. The White house has threatened president Petro with financial sanctions and potential removal from it’s list of key allies in the fight against narcotics, citing concerns over Bogota’s current anti-drug policies.
Despite the escalating tensions, President Petro points to record drug seizure numbers under his management. he also sharply criticized the anti-drug strategy of former US President Donald trump, labeling the sanctioned bombings of vessels suspected of drug trafficking in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean as “executions without trial.”
The seizure highlights the ongoing challenges Colombia faces in combating drug production. The country continues to break annual records for both coca leaf cultivation and cocaine powder production. According to the latest United Nations data from 2023, Colombia has approximately 253,000 hectares dedicated to drug cultivation, yielding at least 2,600 tons of cocaine annually.
President Petro, whose term concludes in nine months, maintains that the Trump-era sanctions are misguided. The operation in Buenaventura, a key transit point for Colombian cocaine, underscores the complexities of the drug trade and the ongoing struggle to disrupt its flow.
