Colombian President Blasts 'Barbarian' Trump and Halts Intel Sharing Over Bombed Boats

Colombian President Gustavo Petro sat down with NBC News in Bogotá on Wednesday to discuss his decision to stop sharing intelligence with the United States over the Trump administration's deadly boat bombings allegedly targeting drug runners in the Caribbean and Pacific.

Petro announced Tuesday that he halted "communications and other agreements with US security agencies" over the boat attacks that have killed at least 76 people. That same day, the UK government also stopped sharing intelligence related to suspected drug-trafficking vessels.

In the fight against drug trafficking, "intelligence is key," Colombia's leftist president told NBC chief foreign correspondent Richard Engel in Spanish. "The more we coordinate, the better. But intelligence is not for killing."

Critics have stressed that even if the boats are transporting drugs, US President Donald Trump's strikes are illegal. Asked by Engel whether he believes the vessels were carrying drugs, Petro said: "Maybe, or maybe not. We do not know. They are poor boatmen hired by gangsters. The gangsters don't sit on the boats."

Petro is one of the few world leaders who has publicly stood up to Trump. The Colombian leader told NBC, "He's a barbarian, but anyone can change."

As the New York Times pointed out Wednesday: "For Mr. Petro, a former rebel during Colombia's long and brutal internal conflict, defiance is nothing new. Those who know him describe a man propelled by his convictions—a lifelong critic of corruption and inequality who became the fiery face of Colombia's left."

The Trump administration has responded forcefully to Petro's critiques. In September, it revoked the Colombian president's visa over his remarks to protesters in New York City, where he was to address the United Nations General Assembly. During the speech, Petro urged the UN to open criminal proceedings over the boat bombings.

In October, Petro accused the administration of murdering a Colombian fisherman in one of the boat strikes. Trump then halted aid to the country. As Bloomberg reported Thursday, "The US has given Colombia about $14 billion this century, the most in the Americas, much of it to help fight guerrillas and traffickers."

The Trump administration last month also sanctioned Petro, his family members, and Colombian Interior Minister Armando Alberto Benedetti. As Engel noted, the US has also sanctioned Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Even though experts have contested Trump's claim that "we have a lot of drugs coming in from Venezuela," the country and its leader are key targets of Trump.

In addition to bombing boats off the Venezuelan coast, Trump has sent a US aircraft carrier to the region, authorized Central Intelligence Agency operations in Venezuela, and is considering strikes within the country. Maduro has ordered the deployment of nearly 200,000 soldiers and accused Trump of pushing for "regime change," with his sights set on "oil, gas, gold, fertile land, and water."

During the NBC interview, Petro was critical of Maduro, saying, "I believe there has been no legitimate leadership in Venezuela for some time."

However, he also expressed concern about the possibility of Trump waging war on Colombia's neighbor. As Petro put it, "He wants to frighten us."