Colombian president lashes out at Trump ‘executions’

COLOMBIA'S leftist president ramped up denunciations of US President Donald Trump’s anti-drug air strikes and swotted aside US threats to freeze hundreds of millions of dollars in aid on Thursday.

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Fuelling a spat that threatens to shatter ties between the long-allied nations, Gustavo Petro said: “Mr Trump has slandered me and insulted Colombia.”

Petro accused Trump of “carrying out extrajudicial executions” that “violate international law” by striking alleged drug-trafficking boats.

The US has destroyed nine vessels and killed at least 37 people in under two months, according to US government accounts. “The deaths keep increasing like a taxi meter,” said Petro.

At least one Colombian is among the dead, a fisherman who Petro now admits may have become involved in trafficking “intermittently” to escape poverty.

Colombia has publicly demanded that Washington halt the attacks, infuriating Trump, who has branded Petro a “thug” and drug trafficker.