Colombia's president lashes out at 'barbarian' Trump over boat attacks

Intelligence “is not for killing,” Colombian President Gustavo Petro told NBC News in a wide-ranging interview, which included his thoughts on President Trump.

BOGOTA, Colombia — Intelligence “is not for killing,” Colombian President Gustavo Petro told NBC News in a wide-ranging interview Wednesday, explaining his decision to stop sharing information with the United States in opposition to lethal strikes on boats allegedly carrying illegal drugs.

Describing President Donald Trump as a “barbarian” who “wants to frighten us,” Petro, a former Marxist revolutionary and one of the few international leaders willing to openly criticize his American counterpart, called the U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean “undoubtedly an aggression against Latin America.”

Colombia would not “pass on the information because we would be collaborating with a crime against humanity,” he told NBC News at the presidential palace in Bogota, reiterating a decision announced earlier this week.

Acknowledging “the most key thing is intelligence” in combating the drug trade, he added, “The more we coordinate intelligence, the better. That is what I have been doing. But intelligence is not for killing.”

The White House did not immediately respond to NBC News' request for comment.