Colombian President Petro Slams Companies for Violating Coal Export Ban to ’Israel’

By Staff, Agencies

Colombian President Gustavo Petro has publicly criticized companies for violating his government’s order to halt coal exports to "Israel" over its genocide in the Gaza Strip.

In an address before Congress to mark the 215th anniversary of Colombia's independence on Sunday, Petro said two mining companies are continuing to export Colombian coal to "Israel" despite the export ban.

According to Petro, US coal miner Drummond and Swiss-based Glencore, both with coal extractive activities in Colombia, were in breach of his ban on coal exports to "Israel."

Last year, Petro said Colombia had officially halted coal exports to the "Israelis" over "Tel Aviv’s" ongoing genocidal war against the Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip, where close to 59,000 Palestinians have been killed so far.

"Colombian coal is used to manufacture bombs that kill Palestinian children," Petro said at the time.

The Colombian president cut diplomatic ties with the "Israeli" entity and stopped coal exports to the Zionist entity to show solidarity with the Palestinian people and condemn the "Israeli" forces' genocidal campaign in the Gaza Strip.

According to the Colombian Mining Association, since the implementation of the government’s export ban, coal sales to the "Israeli" entity have dropped by more than 50 percent, with no reports of exports in April and May 2025.