Colombian President Gustavo Petro said Friday that President Donald Trump promised to act on removing Petro and his family from the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctions list, commonly known as the Clinton List.
Petro Details Sanctions Surprise
“It surprised me that he did not know that my family and I are still included on the OFAC list; he promised to act on the matter,” Petro wrote on X, translated from Spanish.
The list identifies individuals, entities and vessels subject to asset freezes, trade restrictions, and financial prohibitions, primarily divided between the Specially Designated Nationals List and the Consolidated Sanctions List.
Petro said in his post, “Like the previous three times, it was a friendly conversation.”
He also said he asked Trump for help preventing Colombia’s political polarization from escalating into violence. Petro said Trump called him a “godman” and hoped to speak again later.
Coca-Eradication Progress
According to the official statement released by Colombia, the two leaders discussed Colombia’s compliance with voluntary coca-eradication commitments during the call. The statement said Colombia met its target of eradicating nearly 30,000 hectares and aims to reach 41,000 hectares by the end of 2026, with the program funded through Dec. 31 of this year.
In his post, Petro wrote he shared program data with Trump, calling it a “source of pride,” and asked him to maintain U.S. support citing its effectiveness.
From ‘Troublemaker’ Warning to Friendly Call
The Treasury Department added Petro, former partner Veronica Alcocer, son Nicolas Petro and Interior Minister Armando Benedetti to the OFAC list in October 2025, citing alleged drug-trafficking activity.
The call marks a thaw from December, when Trump called Petro a “troublemaker” and warned him to “watch it,” tying the threat to Colombia’s cocaine trade.
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