US company prevents refueling of Colombian presidential plane in Cape Verde due to the "Clinton List"

A US company contracted by the Colombian Air Force refused to refuel the presidential plane in Cape Verde after President Gustavo Petro was included on the so-called "Clinton List," which imposes financial sanctions and restrictions on individuals and entities targeted by the US Treasury Department.

The incident occurred when the aircraft was still in Spain and planned to make a technical stop in the Cape Verde archipelago for refueling. The refusal came from the private company responsible for supplying fuel to official Colombian flights outside the country, which claimed it was unable to operate due to sanctions.

Gustavo Petro described the episode as a "humiliation" and announced the immediate termination of the contract. "It was the American company with which the FAC contracted all the gasoline outside the country, and the destination was Cape Verde. Spain helped me, on the contrary," wrote the president on the social network X, thanking the Spanish government for intervening and ensuring the supply.

The Colombian head of state said he felt "blackmailed," but stressed the importance of maintaining diplomatic connections. He added that he intends to take legal action against the US government, which he accuses of political persecution.

Although Cape Verde was not directly involved in the decision, the episode placed the archipelago at the center of a case that exposed the international effects of US financial sanctions on the logistical and diplomatic operations of other countries.