Colombia on Tuesday halted arms purchases from the United States, its biggest military partner, after Washington decertified the South American country as an anti-drugs ally for allegedly failing to halt cocaine trafficking, while Bogota vowed to fight drugs with or without Washington's support.
On Monday, President Donald Trump denounced his leftist Colombian counterpart Gustavo Petro for not only failing to curb cocaine production but also overseeing its surge to "all-time records."
Trump added that as a result, he had "designated Colombia as having failed demonstrably to meet its drug control obligations."
Reacting to the news, Colombian Interior Minister Armando Benedetti told Blu Radio that "from this moment on...weapons will not be purchased from the United States."
Colombian Army Commander Francisco Cubides added that Bogota's fight to "disrupt the drug trafficking chain" will continue, "with or without American support."
