(MENAFN) Colombian President Gustavo Petro declared on Friday that he has been actively combating the trafficking of narcotics and would not "take a step back" following the announcement of sanctions against him by the United States.

"Fighting drug trafficking for decades and doing so effectively brings this measure upon me from the government of the society that we help so much to stop their cocaine consumption," he wrote on the American social media site X.

"Quite a paradox, but not a step back and never on our knees," he continued, revealing his intention to file a legal challenge.

"My lawyer in my defense will be Dany Kovalik from the US," he stated.

The restrictions enacted by the U.S. Treasury Department also extended to the left-leaning leader’s spouse, one of his sons, and his trusted ally, Interior Minister Armando Benedetti.

These penalties came at the same time as the U.S. declared the deployment of an aircraft carrier and a supporting fleet to join an existing naval group in Latin America devoted to "countering narco-terrorism."

This represents the first instance in which a current Colombian head of state has been subjected to such punitive measures.

U.S. Secretary Scott Bessent asserted that "President Petro has allowed drug cartels to thrive and has refused to stop this activity."

He further claimed that U.S. President Donald Trump "is taking strong action to protect" his country.

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