The President of the United States, Donald Trump, referred this Monday to the change in tone of Colombian President Gustavo Petro in the weeks leading up to their meeting at the White House, noting that the leader "has been very kind over the past month" and that "prior to that, he was undoubtedly very critical."
“Somehow, after the attack on Venezuela, something changed in his attitude,” Trump said in statements reported by U.S. media and shared by analyst Agustín Antonetti on social media X, where the president is seen speaking from the Oval Office.
The comment comes on the eve of the meeting between both presidents, scheduled for this Tuesday in Washington, and marks a new chapter in a relationship that has been marked by diplomatic clashes and mutual accusations for over a year.
According to the EFE agency, Trump also stated that he hopes to have a good meeting with Petro and mentioned that they will discuss the issue of drug trafficking during the meeting, because "tremendous amounts come out of his country."
For its part, the Colombian Foreign Ministry stated that there is a positive atmosphere for the meeting and that the goal is to strengthen diplomatic and economic understanding between both countries. The official delegation in Washington, led by Foreign Minister Rosa Yolanda Villavicencio, declared that the visit "represents the strengthening of relations between Colombia and the United States, but also in a global relationship," and that the Colombian government is "embracing all the positivity of a relationship that is going to be relaunched, which will signify very important progress socially, in diplomatic understanding, and also economically for the region."
In the same video shared by the Presidency of Colombia, Ambassador Daniel García Peña stated that “President Petro has instructed us to prepare this meeting to ensure it goes well for both countries.” Meanwhile, Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez asserted that “the best preparation we have for this meeting is the facts,” emphasizing that “the growth of coca crops has practically stopped” and that “if we add everything up, we are talking about more than three thousand tons, both of cocaine and coca base.” He added that “Colombia is the best strategic ally in the fight against drug trafficking.”
The meeting comes after months of tensions that included Colombia's decertification in the anti-drug fight, the revocation of Petro's visa, and financial sanctions from the U.S. Department of the Treasury. The deterioration of the bilateral relationship began in 2025, when the Colombian president blocked deportation flights from the U.S. and openly criticized Washington's policy towards Gaza and Venezuela.
The trip of Petro to Washington, which will last for four days, aims to mend the relationship with the Trump administration. The Colombian president arrived on Sunday night after receiving a special entry visa to the United States, and he has scheduled meetings with businesspeople, congress members, and the Secretary-General of the OAS, according to Colombian media reports.
In addition to the meeting with Trump, the agenda includes topics such as migration, anti-drug cooperation, trade, and regional security. However, the private meeting between the two leaders at the White House will be the most crucial point of the trip and could define the course of relations between Bogotá and Washington following the capture of Nicolás Maduro on January 3, an operation that marked a turning point in regional politics.
The Colombian president has called for a mobilization this Tuesday at Bolivar Plaza in Bogotá, coinciding with a meeting in Washington. "On Tuesday, if it doesn't rain, let Bolivar Plaza be filled to defend democracy, a living wage, and the peace of Colombia while I meet with Trump," Petro wrote on X.
The meeting between both leaders takes place in a context of mutual distrust, but also of political interest. Petro aims to ease sanctions and project an image of cooperation, while Trump seeks to reaffirm his hemispheric leadership and demonstrate results in his anti-drug policy.
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