Santos said at the 39th annual conference of the Council of the Americas in Washington that there are activists who seek to generate controversy in his country.
He pointed to the recent visits of British MPs and U.S. labor unions to Colombia who, in his opinion, only come to hear voices that reaffirm their established positions. The British MPs reported on their return that the Colombian government was "complicit" in extrajudicial executions and other human rights violations.
"There are well organized groups, with Member of Parliaments and lobbyists. It is not a coincidence, but a very well planned campaign. At the time given, we have to find out who is funding these groups", Santos said without giving details of the alleged involved.
"I have no idea how they finance their sabotage, but obviously there is a left-wing group that does not want free trade, that detests the authorities", he added.
When Santos was asked whether the Colombian government would start a investigations in this matter, he said that Colombia is "a country totally open for criticism" and while this "sabotage plan does not seem to be financed with illegal money, it still could be".
Colombia's Vice President also criticized the limited help of the European Union in the 'war on drugs'. The Mérida Initative and Plan Colombia "are not gifts" but part of the responsibility of countries like the United States that consume drugs and keep the lucrative business alive.
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