Colombian President Gustavo Petro is heading to Washington for a high-stakes trip to meet US President Donald Trump, marking the first in-person encounter between the two after months of escalating tensions and angry rhetoric.
Central issues for discussion will include Venezuela, drug trafficking, oil, security, and US military strikes on alleged drug vessels. These topics are particularly pertinent given the close relations and overlapping concerns between the two nations.
While both leaders expressed cordiality during a recent phone call following a US military operation aimed at Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, Petro has raised alarms about what he perceives as a 'real threat' of military intervention against Colombia.
Trump has previously remarked that a military operation in Colombia 'sounds good', contributing to the tense atmosphere surrounding their engagement. This meeting follows over a month of barbing exchanges wherein Petro condemned US operations targeting drug trafficking in the Caribbean, as well as criticized US immigration policies.
In a prior interview, Petro went so far as to compare US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to 'Nazi brigades', criticizing the US approach to foreign diplomacy and its perceived imperialism.
Despite previous accusations from Trump that the Colombian administration is not doing enough to combat cocaine trafficking, attempts have been made to ease relations, marked by a 'cordial' phone call facilitated by US Senator Rand Paul.
Significant focus during their meeting will also turn to the security situation in Venezuela, particularly regarding the National Liberation Army (ELN), which is known to exert considerable influence over regions along the Colombia-Venezuelan border.
With both nations having unresolved issues regarding drug trafficking and border security, the outcome of this pivotal meeting could reshape US-Colombia relations moving forward, especially as Petro's presidential term nears its conclusion.
