©️El Día
Madrid, 1 November 2025. – In the middle of a diplomatic tour in the Middle East, Gustavo Petro's presidential aircraft was forced to stop in Spain after an American company refused to supply him with kerosene during a stopover in Cape Verde. This decision would be linked to the inclusion of the Colombian president on the "Clinton list", an American registry for people suspected of drug trafficking. This ranking, strongly contested by Bogotá, already has significant diplomatic and logistical repercussions.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro, the first left-wing leader in the country's history, saw his move to the Middle East disrupted by an unprecedented incident. His aircraft, a Boeing 737-700, could not be refuelled in Cape Verde, as an American company refused to do so in order to avoid possible Washington sanctions. The aircraft had to be redirected to Spain, where the government of Pedro Sánchez authorized its supply on a military base.
On the X network, Gustavo Petro denounced "humiliation" and said that "Spain helped," ruling out rumours of an incident in Madrid.
United States causing complications
The Colombian Head of State was placed on the "Clinton List", an American scheme targeting individuals or entities suspected of drug trafficking. This registration has the effect of blocking their assets and prohibiting transactions with US companies. President Petro, along with his wife, son and interior minister Armando Benedetti, is now among the people concerned.
According to the Colombian press, this episode could be the first of a series of diplomatic, financial and logistical complications for the Petro government.
A political punishment
For Gustavo Petro, this sanction against him is a political logic. He accuses Donald Trump of leading a "political hunt" motivated by his positions on the Gaza conflict, which he calls "genocide," as well as on the management of crime in the Caribbean. Petro also announced its intention to seek Saudi Arabia's mediation with the United States, in the hope of ending the bombing of suspected drug vessels. According to his reports, these operations have caused more than 60 deaths since September
While coca crops reached a record 253,000 hectares in 2023, Colombian President Gustavo Petro rejects any personal involvement in drug trafficking and denounces a political move to weaken the international scene.
W.A. with El Día
