The U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, met with Colombian President Abelardo De la Espriella on Tuesday in Barranquilla to finalize the so-called Barranquilla Agreements, a package of security and investment measures that marks the formal renewal of the bilateral relationship between the two countries after years of tension during the Gustavo Petro era.
It was the first high-level visit that De la Espriella received since assuming the presidency on August 7, and he chose to host it in his hometown.
The meeting took place in a cordial atmosphere that included a personal detail: Rubio recalled, with laughter, that they have known each other since before getting involved in politics.
"Two and a half years ago, we were at the same table at a wedding in South Florida," said the Secretary of State, who spoke in Spanish during the joint press conference, which did not allow questions.
Rubio also emphasized the strategic significance of the meeting: "The opportunities that exist between Colombia and the United States go far beyond just security."
De la Espriella summarized the agreed objectives into three pillars: “rebuild the homeland, recover the economy, and secure the hemisphere.”
The first aims at the recovery of the areas devastated by the magnitude 7.4 earthquake of August 10, with its epicenter in San José del Palmar, Chocó, which left at least 294 dead, 320 missing, and over 115,000 people affected, with American capital serving as a lever for reconstruction.
The second axis aims to attract U.S. investment in infrastructure, housing, and energy, in exchange for fiscal discipline and improvements in legal security.
The third, perhaps the most complex in terms of concrete commitments, revolves around the fight against drug trafficking.
De la Espriella confirmed that Colombia is now part of the Shield of the Americas, the anti-drug coalition founded by Trump in March 2026 that includes 18 countries, and a working headquarters will be established in Medellín.
The president also presented his "Patriot Plan for the 21st Century" to modernize radars, drones, and military intelligence with support from Washington.
"Colombia will allocate its own resources, [but] we need support from the U.S. We will work in the fight against drug trafficking. We will carry out fumigation. We will go after armed organizations," he stated.
His message regarding criminal groups was even more direct: "A bandit who does not submit will be taken out. It's either a prison or a grave."
In economic matters, Rubio and Colombian Chancellor Omar Bula signed two memorandums of understanding: one regarding critical minerals and rare earths —which aims to position Colombia as a partner in clean technology, battery, and electrical infrastructure supply chains, without granting exploitation rights to the U.S.— and another on civilian nuclear energy, which opens a space for technical and gradual dialogue.
Both agreements are part of Washington's strategy to reduce its dependence on China for strategic materials.
Regarding migration, De la Espriella aligned his stance with that of the Trump administration: "Our principle is simple: legal, safe, and orderly migration. We are against illegal migration."
Two pending issues were left out of the agreements: Colombia's request to suspend the 12.5% tariffs that the U.S. imposes on its products — a demand that business unions hoped would be resolved — and the reopening of the U.S. consulate in Barranquilla, which has been closed for over 30 years, a matter that De la Espriella personally requested: "This is a topic that touches my heart, and I told the secretary."
At the end of the conference, the Colombian president summed up the meeting with a phrase that captured the tone of the day: "It was a frank, deep, strategic, and cordial conversation."
Rubio continues his Latin American tour this Wednesday in Ecuador, where he will meet with President Daniel Noboa, and on Thursday in Peru with President Keiko Fujimori.
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