Colombia–United States relations

The relationship between Colombia and the United States evolved from a mutual cordiality during the 19th and early 20th centuries to an early-2000s partnership that linked the governments of both nations around several key issues; this includes fighting communism, the war on drugs, and the threat of terrorism due to the September 11 attacks in 2001.

During the fifty years prior to 2005, different American governments and their representatives became involved in Colombian affairs through the implementation of policies concerned with a number of these issues. Some critics of US policies in Colombia, such as Law Professor John Barry, claimed in 2002 that US influences had catalyzed internal conflicts and substantially expanded the scope and nature of human rights abuses in Colombia. Supporters, such as Under Secretary of State Marc Grossman, in 2002 defended the idea that the United States had promoted respect for human rights and the rule of law in Colombia; in addition, adding to the fight against drugs and terrorism. A signing member of the Rio Pact and SICOFAA, as well as a regular participant in RIMPAC, Colombia was notably the only South American nation to support the US-led Iraq War in 2003. In 2022, Colombia was designated a Major non-NATO ally. Relations deteriorated significantly during the second presidency of Donald Trump, and the US government imposed sanctions on Colombian President Gustavo Petro.