Share articlePrint articleThe US has "decertified" Colombia as an ally in the fight against drugs, adding it to a list of countries including Afghanistan, Myanmar and Venezuela. Washington's frustration now focuses on a different concern: the transformation of Colombia's drug policy under President Gustavo Petro. Here's what's being proposedUS officials view Petro's policy as dangerously permissive. According to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), around 253,000 hectares of Colombia were under coca cultivation in 2023. Although framed as a response to drug policy failures, the timing and tone of the decertification have fuelled speculation that Washington is seeking leverage on broader issues.