Colombian President Gustavo Petro is heading to Washington for a high-stakes trip to meet US President Donald Trump, the first in-person meeting between the two after months of escalating tensions and angry rhetoric. Venezuela, drug trafficking, oil, security, and US strikes on alleged drug vessels will be high on the agenda when they meet at the White House on Tuesday.
While the two men were cordial in a phone call after the 3 January US military operation to seize Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro, Petro has since stated his belief that there is a 'real threat' of military action against Colombia. Trump, for his part, has previously indicated that a military operation in Colombia 'sounds good.'
Tuesday's meeting follows months of the two leaders trading barbs, with Petro repeatedly criticizing US strikes on alleged drug boats and the White House's immigration policies. In a BBC interview last month, he went so far as to compare US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to 'Nazi brigades,' expressing his view that the US treats other countries as part of its 'empire.'
Amid the tension, Trump has accused Petro's government of not doing enough to curtail the flow of cocaine to the US and has threatened expanded military operations in the region. Yet, the acrimony appears to have lessened following a 'cordial' phone call that has been characterized as a significant turn from both sides according to a Colombian official.
According to diplomatic sources, Rand Paul, US Senator for Kentucky, played a crucial role in facilitating the conversation. In light of this meeting, Colombian Foreign Minister Rosa Yolanda Villavicencio indicated that shared US and Colombian security concerns, particularly regarding the instability in Venezuela, will form a major focus of the discussions. With both leaders facing internal and external challenges, this encounter may present a unique opportunity for diplomacy amid ongoing conflicts surrounding drug trafficking and border security.
While the two men were cordial in a phone call after the 3 January US military operation to seize Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro, Petro has since stated his belief that there is a 'real threat' of military action against Colombia. Trump, for his part, has previously indicated that a military operation in Colombia 'sounds good.'
Tuesday's meeting follows months of the two leaders trading barbs, with Petro repeatedly criticizing US strikes on alleged drug boats and the White House's immigration policies. In a BBC interview last month, he went so far as to compare US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to 'Nazi brigades,' expressing his view that the US treats other countries as part of its 'empire.'
Amid the tension, Trump has accused Petro's government of not doing enough to curtail the flow of cocaine to the US and has threatened expanded military operations in the region. Yet, the acrimony appears to have lessened following a 'cordial' phone call that has been characterized as a significant turn from both sides according to a Colombian official.
According to diplomatic sources, Rand Paul, US Senator for Kentucky, played a crucial role in facilitating the conversation. In light of this meeting, Colombian Foreign Minister Rosa Yolanda Villavicencio indicated that shared US and Colombian security concerns, particularly regarding the instability in Venezuela, will form a major focus of the discussions. With both leaders facing internal and external challenges, this encounter may present a unique opportunity for diplomacy amid ongoing conflicts surrounding drug trafficking and border security.
