The designations signal a formal determination by the US Treasury Department that these individuals have materially contributed to, or pose a significant risk of materially contributing to, the global illicit drug trade. The action was announced in a Treasury press release detailing the sanctions against the President and his support network, and comes as an escalation in the public spat between Petro and US President Donald Trump.

The Scope of the Designations

Petro with his wife, Veronica Alcocer in Venezuela (Photo: Alexa Rochi, Presidency of Colombia)

The individuals added to the SDN List include:

• PETRO URREGO, Gustavo Francisco (DOB 19 Apr 1960), President of Colombia, designated under the counternarcotics authority of Executive Order 14059.
• ALCOCER GARCIA, Verónica del Socorro (DOB 26 May 1976), President Petro’s wife, designated as linked to Gustavo Francisco Petro Urrego.
• PETRO BURGOS, Nicolás Fernando (DOB 21 Jun 1986), President Petro’s son, designated as linked to Gustavo Francisco Petro Urrego.
• BENEDETTI VILLANEDA, Armando Alberto (DOB 29 Aug 1967), a former diplomat and high-ranking Colombian official, designated as linked to Gustavo Francisco Petro Urrego.

The designations effectively place the individuals in a restrictive financial status typically reserved for terrorists, international criminals, and officials of sanctioned regimes.

The President’s son, Nicolás Petro is already on trial in Colombia by Colombian prosecutors for corruption and dealings with narcotraffickers. Even with his father as president, he has been able to avoid arrest and detention, with his jilted wife, Daysuris Vasquez, serving as a key witness against him.

Petro’s Interior Minister and primary political consigliere, Armando Benedetti has also been sanctioned. Petro’s own former Foreign Minister, Alvaro Leyva has publicly accused the president of being a cocaine addict, while Benedetti has openly admitted that he is a recovering cocaine and alcohol addict.

Immediate Financial and Legal Implications

The designation to the SDN List carries defined and severe consequences under US law, primarily centered on financial blocking:

The sanctions imposed on Petro, his family, & Benedetti are commonly known as being added to “the Clinton List.”

1. Asset Blocking: All property and interests in property of the four designated individuals that are within US jurisdiction, or that come within the possession or control of any US person, are immediately blocked (frozen). This requires US financial institutions and entities to report the blockage of funds, real estate, securities, or other assets to OFAC.
2. Transaction Prohibition: US persons—a category that includes US citizens and permanent residents, entities organized under US laws (and their foreign branches), and any person located within the United States—are prohibited from engaging in any transaction or dealing with the designated individuals. This prohibition extends to making or receiving any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services to or for the benefit of an SDN.
3. The 50 Percent Rule: Any entity owned, directly or indirectly, 50% or more by one or more of the designated individuals is also considered blocked, regardless of whether that entity is explicitly named on the SDN List.

Furthermore, the names are integrated into global compliance screening databases used by most international banks and financial institutions. This development is expected to isolate the designated individuals from the global financial system, making routine actions such as international wire transfers, opening bank accounts, and using credit services highly problematic or impossible.

Impact on Petro’s Future

The SDN designations carry different risks based on the current and future governmental status of the designated officials.

Current Term (Until August 2026)

President Gustavo Petro posing for a photo with his son Nicolás Petro. (Credit: Presidencia de la Republica)

While President Petro holds his position, official governmental dealings between the US and Colombia may continue, potentially protected by principles of sovereign immunity. However, the designation is applied to him as an individual for illicit activities, not in his capacity as head of state.

• Official Duties: US government agencies and diplomats are restricted from conducting personal or financial transactions with the President, which complicates interactions beyond the necessary official capacity.
• Personal Finances: Any personal US-based assets the four individuals may have are blocked. Their personal finances and travel outside of Colombia become subject to severe scrutiny, as non-US financial institutions that engage in transactions with him risk being targeted by secondary sanctions.
• Previous Visa Status: This financial sanction follows a previous action where President Petro’s US visa was revoked earlier this year after he called on the US military to rebel while participating in a pro-Palestine protest in New York. The SDN designation solidifies his inability to travel to the United States and extends the US financial prohibition globally.
• Petro’s wife, son, and Armando Alberto Benedetti face the full immediate weight of the financial sanctions, including total blocking of any US assets and prohibition of transactions with US persons.

Post Presidency

When President Petro’s term ends in August 2026, he and his family will lose any residual protections or considerations afforded by his presidential office.

• Total Isolation: The post-term status is expected to result in complete global financial isolation for all four individuals. Without the shield of public office, any attempt to conduct legitimate business, investment, or banking internationally would be flagged and rejected by compliance systems worldwide due to the fear of secondary sanctions against foreign entities.
• Legal Exposure: The designations are intended to prevent the designated individuals from utilizing the international financial system. Any attempt by the sanctioned persons to circumvent these restrictions after leaving office could result in further investigations and potential criminal charges by US authorities.

Update: Dueling official statements

Friday afternoon, the Colombian & US governments issued the following diplomatic statements (Colombian statement translated to English by Finance Colombia):

US Department of State

U.S. Decision Not to Certify Colombia’s Counternarcotics Efforts and Sanctions Actions Against Colombian Officials Involved in Global Illicit Drug Trade

Due to President Gustavo Petro’s disastrous and ineffective counternarcotics policies, Secretary of State Marco Rubio will not certify Colombia under the criteria of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2024, as carried forward by the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2025.  President Trump made it clear in his September 15 determination [on Major Drug Transit or Major Illicit Drug Producing Countries for Fiscal Year 2026] that Colombia is “failing demonstrably” to uphold its drug control responsibilities.  Petro has since doubled down in defense of his failed policies.

The United States will not turn a blind eye to Petro’s appeasement and emboldening of narco-terrorists.  We are committed to bringing terrorists and drug traffickers to justice and preventing deadly illegal drugs from entering our country.  There must be no impunity for drug traffickers or acts of terrorism or violence by criminal armed groups.

We remain steadfast in our support for Colombian security forces, its justice sector, and departmental and municipal officials, and we will continue to partner with them in our joint efforts to combat drug trafficking.  Today’s decision is not a reflection on these institutions but rather the failures and incompetence of Gustavo Petro and his inner circle.

In addition to today’s announcement of the decision not to certify Colombia, the United States, through the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”), is sanctioning four Colombian nationals, including President Gustavo Petro, Petro’s wife Veronica, his son Nicolás, and Minister of Interior Armando Benedetti for their involvement in the global illicit drug trade.  Narcotics trafficking and narcoterrorism continues to fuel violence, corruption, and instability in Colombia, while also posing significant challenges to regional and international security.

Today’s announcement concerns a decision not to certify Colombia for certain FY2025 assistance under section 7045(c)(3)(A) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2024 (Div. F, P.L. 118-47), as carried forward by the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2025 (Div. A, P.L. 119-4).  Today’s designation actions were taken pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 14059, which targets the international proliferation of illicit drugs and their means of production.  For more information about today’s designations, please see Treasury’s press release.

Colombia Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Cancillería)

The Colombian Foreign Ministry once again rejects the unfriendly actions of the United States.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses its strong rejection of the inclusion of the President of the Republic of Colombia, Gustavo Petro Urrego, his family, and the Minister of the Interior, Armando Benedetti, on the List of Specially Designated Nationals, updated today by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the United States Department of the Treasury. This decision is completely unfounded and constitutes an affront to the President of Colombia, the highest administrative authority and Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, and to the entire Colombian people. 

The Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs also condemns the offensive and outrageous statements made by Scott Bessent, Secretary of the Treasury of the United States, against the Colombian President, which also constitute an insult to someone who has maintained a frontal and tireless fight against drug trafficking for more than three decades, and who has achieved during his administration the largest seizures of illicit drugs in recent history, thanks to a policy defined by him and under his orders as Commander-in-Chief of the Public Force, aimed at comprehensively combating the scourge of drugs.

The OFAC decision and the insulting treatment the President has received in recent days violate not only his honor, but also the memory of the thousands of Colombians who have sacrificed their lives in the fight against drug trafficking.

These hostile acts, which not only insult but also disregard the fight against drug trafficking waged by President Gustavo Petro Urrego, the Armed Forces, and Colombian society, do nothing to normalize diplomatic relations between the two countries.

For Colombia, the strategic relationship with the United States is governed by a vision of the State, independent of the current political cycles of each country, and is based on the close economic, social, and cultural ties built over more than two centuries of collaborative work. The Colombian people expect the United States government to value and respect its relationship with Colombia in the same way other nations do with our country. 

Headline image: Colombian President Gustavo Petro (left) with Interior Minister Armando Benedetti (photo: Presidency of Colombia)

Gutiérrez’s communication highlights a public event held on June 21, 2025, in Medellín titled “A Pact for the Urban Peace of Medellín,” which was promoted by the Presidency of the Republic of Colombia. During the event, nine individuals identified as leaders of criminal organizations were brought onto a stage and presented as “peace spokespersons.”

The mayor’s letter notes that these individuals have firm convictions for various crimes, including homicide, narcotics trafficking, forced disappearance, and extortion. Among those present were Juan Carlos Mesa Vallejo, alias “Tom,” and Freyner Alfonso Ramírez García, alias “Pesebré,” both of whom are on the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List maintained by the US Department of the Treasury‘s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).

Mi carta al FBI, DEA, Departamento de Estado de los Estados Unidos 🇺🇸 y Embajada 🇺🇸 sobre el “Tarimazo” de Petro en Medellín con los peores criminales. Algunos de ellos en el radar de los Estados Unidos por tráfico de drogas. Son 7 páginas. Adjunto 4. pic.twitter.com/K0ToeAFh6r

— Fico Gutiérrez (@FicoGutierrez) September 25, 2025

The letter also states that the release of these individuals from the Itagüí prison was not authorized by a judge. It further alleges that the release was requested by Senator Isabel Cristina Zuleta López of the Pacto Histórico political coalition. Senator Zuleta defended her actions in a statement to W Radio, asserting that it was “inexplicable” not to include the leaders of the criminal structures in a public dialogue about urban peace, as they had been recognized by the president for such talks.

Criminal Structures and Transnational Ties

The letter details the history of criminal organizations in Medellín, from the Medellín Cartel of the 1980s to modern-day groups. It names several prominent organized crime groups (G.D.O.s), including “El Mesa,” “Los Chatas,” “Pachelly,” and “La Terraza,” stating that they continue to operate international narcotics trafficking networks.
Gutiérrez’s letter alleges that these Colombian criminal structures have alliances with international organizations such as the Tren de Aragua, Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación, the Sinaloa Cartel (OTCMKTS: SRBAL), and the Albanian Mafia, among others.

Information Leak at the Attorney General’s Office

In his letter, Gutiérrez also raised concerns about alleged irregularities within the Colombian Attorney General’s Office. He claims that an investigation into Juan Pablo Taborda Samora, alias “Yordi,” and Daniel Muñoz Olaya, the son of criminal leader José Leonardo Muñoz Martínez, alias “Douglas,” was compromised. According to the letter, information regarding an impending arrest operation against Daniel Muñoz was allegedly leaked, preventing his capture. This alleged leak informed “Douglas” of the ongoing investigation against his son, allowing them to evade authorities.

Click on images to enlarge and view originals:

Letter from Mayor Federico Gutierrez to the US Government

The mayor states that there are 7 total pages, but he published only these four above, which appear to be redacted.

Page 1

Seal of the Mayor’s Office of Medellín

Mayor’s Office of Medellín District of Science, Technology, and Innovation

Medellín, July 02, 2025.

Respected

United States Department of State, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), US Embassy Bogotá.

Subject: Submission of relevant information regarding the critical security situation and transnational criminality in Medellín, Colombia.

I, Federico Gutiérrez Zuluaga, in my capacity as Mayor of the Special District of Science, Technology, and Innovation of Medellín, identified with NIT 890.905.211-1, respectfully address you to express profound institutional concern over recent events that, stemming from the national policy of the current Colombian Government, are allegedly favoring, directly and indirectly, criminal structures that have historically affected the security of both our city and that of its international allies, among them, the United States of America.

As is widely known by the international community, Medellín has a complex history linked to organized crime. Indeed, from the 1980s, when the Medellín Cartel dominated the global drug trade, to the present day, the city has been a strategic hub for transnational criminal activities. The criminal structures that mutated from a centralized model to fragmented yet interconnected networks, such as the self-styled “Oficina de Envigado” and the current Organized Crime Groups (hereinafter G.D.O.) and Organized Common Crime Groups (hereinafter G.D.C.O.), maintain a very high criminal capacity with international reach.

Today, the 10 G.D.O.s present in Medellín and the Aburrá Valley—among them “El Mesa,” “Los Chatas,” “Pachelly,” “La Terraza,” “Robledo,” and “La Sierra”—and G.D.C.O.s such as “San Pablo” and “La Oficina del Doce,” continue to operate international narcotics trafficking networks with destinations primarily in North America and Europe. These structures maintain active alliances with cartels such as the “Tren de Aragua”, “CJNG”, “Sinaloa Cartel”, “Albanian Mafia”, “Choneros”, “Lobos”, “Cartel de los Soles”, “Maras Salvatruchas”, “Ndrangheta”, “Camorra”, among others, which demonstrates the internationalization of their criminal activities.

Despite this grave and evident reality, the current National Government of Colombia, led by President Gustavo Petro Urrego, has promoted a policy that, under the discourse of “Total Peace,” has publicly legitimized criminal leaders with serious judicial records, many of whom are apparently still active in drug trafficking, exploitation of minors and adolescents, arms trafficking, human trafficking, and other illegal revenues of transnational interest.

Thus, on this past June 21, 2025, during the public event called “A Pact for the Urban Peace of Medellín,” which was promoted by the Presidency of the Republic of Colombia, nine (09) of the top leaders of these structures¹, among them individuals included on the OFAC (Office of Foreign Assets Control) List such as Juan Carlos Mesa Vallejo (alias “Tom”) and Freyner Alfonso Ramírez García (alias “Pesebré”), were displayed on stage as “peace spokespersons,” despite having firm convictions for atrocious crimes (such as homicide, narcotics trafficking, use of minors for the commission of crimes, forced disappearance, extortionate kidnapping, extortion, and criminal conspiracy, among other crimes of extreme gravity) and even though, apparently, they continue to control their criminal structures from the penitentiary center where they are imprisoned (particularly, in the Itagüí prison – Antioquia). This event was also attended by the Minister of Justice and Law (Eduardo Montealegre Lynett), the Minister of the Interior (Armando Alberto Benedetti Villaneda), the Minister of National Education (José Daniel Rojas Medellín), the Minister of Labor (Antonio Sanguino Páez), the Minister of Mines and Energy (Edwin Palma Egea), the Minister of Cultures, Arts and Knowledge of Colombia (Yannai Kadamani Fonrodona), Senators of the Republic Isabel Cristina Zuleta López and León Fredy Muñoz Lopera, Representatives to the Chamber for Antioquia Alex Xavier Flórez Hernández and Pedro Baracutao García Ospina, the Representative to the Chamber for Valle del Cauca Alfredo Mondragón Garzón, and the former mayor of Medellín, now charged by the Office of the Attorney General of the Nation for alleged acts of corruption, Daniel Quintero Calle, among others.

Now, this public act signified a grave institutional violation. This, since it was an act of re-victimization for the people affected by these criminal groups, who have seen their victimizers legitimized in a political setting, without authorization from a Judge of the Republic to leave their place of imprisonment, even though they all currently have a final conviction (and it is being served). Likewise, the departure from the prison was supported by a request from the Historic Pact senator, Isabel Zuleta Cristina Zuleta López.

The foregoing raises serious questions about the separation of powers, due process, and the principle of equality before the law, given that, under the current legal framework, there is no legal basis for reaching an agreement with criminal structures, which does not amount to a submission to justice.

Furthermore, the foregoing occurred in a complex context, not only local but also national. This is because there have apparently been undue leaks of sensitive information and possible undue pressure in high-impact processes, namely:

In events surrounding recent procedural actions carried out by the Attorney General’s Office in the country against members of the G.D.O. “La Terraza,” among them Mr. Juan Pablo Taborda Samora, known in criminal jargon as “Yordi” (the top leader and boss of hitmen for said organization), and against Daniel Muñoz Olaya, son of José Leonardo Muñoz Martínez (alias “Douglas”), arrest warrants were issued against them for different crimes which they apparently took part in to integrate said criminal organization, who, according to the Prosecutor’s Office, are involved in money laundering and illicit enrichment. However, despite details of this operation having been filtered by irregular third parties, which could have jeopardized the success of all the captures (apparently alerting the targets before the proceedings began), and compromising the security of the Judicial Police investigators and the designated prosecutor’s office itself.

Indeed, as was evidenced in an extraordinary security meeting held in the District of Medellín this past June 17, 2025 (which included the participation of the Unit Against Organized Crime of the Attorney General’s Office, the National Police, the National Army of Colombia, the Colombian Air Force, and representatives of state intelligence agencies) and in a meeting on June 19, 2025 aimed at conducting a presentation of the balance of operational results by the National Police, it was established that there was a leak of information hours before the operation, since alias “Douglas” had been informed of a respective investigative process against his son and that his capture would be imminent.

As a result of this situation, not only would the capture of Daniel Muñoz Olaya have been prevented (by evading the action of the public force at the time of the execution of the search with (Additional text appears to be missing beyond this point. The mayor states that there are 7 total pages, but he is making public these four, redacted. -Ed.)

FOOTNOTES:

1: In effect, these are José Leonardo Muñoz Martínez (alias Douglas), Juan Carlos Mesa Vallejo (alias Tom), Jorge de Jesús Vallejo Alarcón (alias Vallejo), Juan Camilo Rendón Castro (alias el Saya), Albert Henao Acevedo (alias Albert), Juan Fernando Álvarez (alias Juan XXIII), Walter Román Jiménez (alias el Tigre), Freyner Ramírez García (alias Pesebré), and Dayron Alberto Muñoz Torres (alias El Indio).
Footnote 2 appears to be redacted.

3: Copy of the official letter of transfer for the competence of relevant information filed on June 25, 2025, before the Attorney General’s Office by the Secretary of Security of the District of Science, Technology, and Innovation of Medellín.

4: Copy of the official letter of transfer of relevant information for the pertinent purposes and request for urgent and necessary protection measures filed on June 25, 2025, before the Attorney General’s Office.

5: Copy of a news article published on June 26, 2025, by Revista Semana.

6: World Drug Report 2025 by UNODC: Global instability aggravates the social, economic, and security impact of the global drug phenomenon, published on June 26, 2025, by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

7: Copy of the publication made on July 1, 2025, on the social network “X” by Caracol Radio.

Sincerely,

[Signature]

Federico Andrés Gutiérrez Zuluaga, Mayor of Medellín.

Following a 2016 Peace Accord with the Colombian government, the FARC formally dissolved and disarmed. It no longer exists as a unified organization that engages in terrorism or terrorist activity or has the capability or intent to do so.

The decision to revoke the designation does not change the posture with regards to any charges or potential charges in the United States against former leaders of the FARC, including for narcotrafficking, nor does it remove the stain of the decision by Colombia’s Special Jurisdiction of Peace, which found their actions to be crimes against humanity. However, it will facilitate the ability of the United States to better support implementation of the 2016 accord, including by working with demobilized combatants.

This message has been reprinted in its entirety as issued by the US State Department

The designation of FARC-EP and Segunda Marquetalia is directed at those who refused to demobilize and those who are engaged in terrorist activity. In August 2019, former FARC commanders, including Luciano Marin Arango, alias Ivan Marquez, created Segunda Marquetalia after abandoning the 2016 Peace Accord. Since then, Segunda Marquetalia has engaged in terrorist activity and is responsible for the killings of former FARC members and community leaders. Segunda Marquetalia has also engaged in mass destruction, assassination, hostage-taking, including the kidnapping and holding for ransom of government employees. Segunda Marquetalia is also responsible for the attempted killings of political leaders.

• Luciano Marin Arango, alias Ivan Marquez, is the founder and overall leader of Segunda Marquetalia.
• Hernan Dario Velasquez Saldarriaga, alias El Paisa, is a senior commander in Segunda Marquetalia and serves as the group’s military commander.
• Henry Castellanos Garzon, alias Romana, is a senior leader in Segunda Marquetalia with military operations responsibilities.

Using the moniker of the former FARC and led by Nestor Gregorio Vera Fernandez, alias Ivan Mordisco, and Miguel Santanilla Botache, alias Gentil Duarte, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – People’s Army (FARC-EP) is responsible for the vast majority of the armed attacks attributed to FARC dissident elements since 2019. FARC-EP has also been responsible for the killing of political candidates and former FARC members, and the kidnapping of a political operative.

• Nestor Gregorio Vera Fernandez, alias Ivan Mordisco, is the commander and overall leader of FARC-EP.
• Miguel Santanilla Botache, alias Gentil Duarte, is a commander in FARC-EP and deputy to Nestor Gregorio Vera Fernandez.
• Euclides Espana Caicedo, alias Jhon Fredey Henao Munoz, alias Jhonier, is the most senior commander of multiple units of the FARC-EP organization in important territorial areas.

As a result of our actions today, among other consequences, all property and interests in property of these groups and individuals must be blocked and reported to the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). In addition, persons that engage in certain transactions with the persons designated today may themselves be exposed to designation. Furthermore, any foreign financial institution that knowingly facilitates a significant financial transaction or provides significant financial services for the persons designated today could be subject to U.S. correspondent account or payable-through account sanctions. Additionally, it is a crime to knowingly provide material support or resources to Segunda Marquetalia and FARC-EP, or to attempt or conspire to do so.