A frozen salary and a plane without fuel… the repercussions of America’s sanctions on the President of Colombia

The administration of President Donald Trump recently included Petro, his wife, one of his sons, and his interior minister on the US Treasury Department’s sanctions list.

US sanctions

The White House accuses Petro of not combating the drug trade. The sanctions stipulate freezing their assets in the United States and preventing them from dealing with companies associated with them.

Petro’s lawyer, Daniel Kovalik, said: "Their credit cards and bank accounts have been frozen". He added: "Even getting his wages as a government employee has become difficult now"

Conducting negotiations

The lawyer pointed out that a fuel company linked to the United States also refused to supply fuel to the Colombian presidential plane in Spain.

In addition, Kovalik believed that conducting negotiations would resolve the situation.

He said: "An issue is raised, and oftentimes resolved through negotiation or diplomacy. This will be done through intermediaries, and we are working on it"

Appeal the sanctions

But he acknowledged that "Either way it will be a very long and drawn out process".

As he pointed out "The possibility that a Colombian court, or perhaps an international body, could deal with this matter"The lawyer added: "Let’s be real: The United States does not answer to anyone outside of it"

Message to Leaders

Kovalik believes that Petro is being punished because of his opposition to American foreign policy.

He said: "I think Trump is trying to attack anyone who stands in the way of American foreign policy goals"

He continued "He is being punished. It is a message to leaders: either line up or you will be punished".