Colombia dismisses U.S. claims of president's involvement in drug trafficking

BOGOTA, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- Colombia's government rejects Washington's recent accusations that Colombian President Gustavo Petro is involved in producing and distributing illicit drugs, the Colombian Foreign Ministry said Sunday.

"These accusations constitute an act of the utmost seriousness and go against the dignity of the President of the Colombians, who has led and tirelessly fought against drug trafficking in our country," the ministry said in a statement.

It also accused the White House of launching a direct threat against Colombia's sovereignty and condemned Washington's proposal to illegally intervene in Colombian territory, which violates the norms of international law and diplomacy, and particularly international treaties that protect the sovereignty, independence and self-determination of countries.

Colombia will appeal to international bodies to defend its sovereignty and the dignity of its president, and denounce the interference in the country's internal affairs, it said.

In a post on social media, Petro said "I'm not a businessman, much less a drug trafficker."

Petro has accused the United States of using its anti-drug policy as a pretext to justify the use of force in the Caribbean region to take control of oil reserves. ■