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September 23, 2025

Colombian Government Terminates Arms Purchases from the United States
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The Colombian government has terminated arms purchases from the United
States, its largest military partner, as tensions rise with the Trump
administration over accusations Colombia is failing to combat cocaine
trafficking. Colombian President Gustavo Petro denounced U.S.
intervention, saying his government "will not be blackmailed" and that
more cocaine has been seized under his administration than any previous
presidents.

In more news from Colombia, 12 former soldiers have been sentenced to
eight years of reparations work over their role in the extrajudicial
executions of 135 civilians during Colombia's U.S.-backed conflict. The
killings were part of what became known as the false positives scandal,
when U.S.-backed Colombian soldiers massacred thousands of civilians,
falsely counting them as rebel fighters.


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