Colombian President Gustavo Petro has sparked controversy during a heated live-broadcast cabinet meeting by claiming cocaine's illegal status stems from Latin American prejudice rather than science-based health concerns.

During a six-hour ministerial meeting on February 4, the leftist leader argued that cocaine "is illegal because it is made in Latin America, not because it is worse than whiskey". He suggested the global cocaine trade could be "dismantled" through worldwide legalisation, allowing it to be "sold like wine".

The timing of Petro's outlandish remarks coincides with a significant shift in Colombia's export landscape. Bloomberg reported last year that cocaine export revenues reached $18.2bn in 2022, nearly matching oil exports of $19.1bn. With oil exports dropping 30 per cent in the first half of this year while cocaine production continues to expand, the illegal drug is poised to become Colombia's primary export.

The UN Office on Drugs and Crime reports coca cultivation reached 253,000 hectares in 2023, marking a 10 per cent increase from the previous year. The coca plant, from which cocaine is manufactured through a complex chemical process, is mainly cultivated in Peru and Bolivia, besides Colombia.

Petro, a former M-19 guerrilla member who took office in August 2022, also drew pointed comparisons with the American opioid crisis. He noted that fentanyl, which causes tens of thousands of deaths annually in the US, "is killing Americans and it is not made in Colombia". The president claimed the synthetic opioid originated as "a pharmacy drug by North American multinationals".

The controversial statements emerge amid strained relations between Bogotá and Washington. The two nations recently clashed over immigration policy, with newly inaugurated US President Donald Trump threatening steep punitive tariffs after Colombia initially refused to accept military flights carrying deported migrants. The dispute was resolved when Bogotá agreed to accept the returns.

The televised cabinet meeting, the first of its kind to be broadcast live, also revealed apparent tensions within Petro's government. Reports indicated confrontations between officials, with particular unease surrounding the appointment of Armando Benedetti as chief of staff.

Petro's remarks have drawn criticism from Colombian politicians, including House Representative Andrés Forero, who pointed out perceived inconsistencies in the president's stance on alcohol consumption.

The Colombian leader's comments could further complicate relations with the US, where drug trafficking – including cocaine – remains a priority concern for the administration.