Gustavo Petro has said the meeting will occur in early February at the White House
Colombian President Gustavo Petro has stated that he will meet with his US counterpart, Donald Trump, at the White House on February 3 for talks he characterized as “decisive.”
Speaking at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Petro said the date was agreed upon through diplomatic exchanges with the Trump administration, noting that the talks would cover bilateral issues, including drug trafficking.
“We will see the outcomes of that meeting, which is decisive. My aim is that Colombians, wherever they are in the country, do not endure hardships and can feel at ease,” Petro said.
The meeting will be the first face-to-face conversation between the two leaders since Trump returned to office.
Trump announced Petro’s visit to Washington following a phone call with the Colombian president last week, after previously accusing him of drug trafficking and threatening military action.
“It was a great privilege to speak with the president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, who called to clarify the situation regarding drugs and other differences we have had,” Trump said at the time. “I valued his call and his tone, and I anticipate meeting with him in the near future.”
Washington has increased pressure on Latin American countries over narcotics and security matters, with Trump singling out Petro for drug-related concerns. Earlier this month, Trump issued a threat directed at Colombia, saying that taking action against the country “sounds appealing.”
Petro responded by saying that in the face of Trump’s “illegal threats,” he was ready to “resume using the weapons that no one wants to handle.”
Trump last year imposed sanctions on Petro and revoked his visa after the Colombian leader condemned what he termed “barbaric” US strikes on alleged cartel boats in the Caribbean, which Petro said were targeting ordinary fishermen. Trump later labeled the Colombian president an “illegal drug leader.”
The latest tensions have arisen after US commandos abducted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in a weekend raid in Caracas. Petro called the operation an “abhorrent” violation of Venezuela’s sovereignty, a view shared by several South American countries, as well as Russia and China.