Amid the brewing tensions in Latin America, US President Donald Trump and his Colombian counterpart Gustavo Petro held their first phone call following a highly public spat. Trump invited the Colombian leader to the White House
US President
Donald Trump and his Colombian counterpart
Gustavo Petro held their first phone call following a highly public spat as tensions between the United States and Latin America continue to escalate. The call came just days after Trump accused the Colombian leader of being “sick” and a cocaine trafficker.
During the call, the two leaders discussed counter-narcotics policy and other topics on which they have clashed, and agreed to a face-to-face encounter. Trump confirmed the news of the phone call in a post on his social media platform TruthSocial. “It was a Great Honor to speak with the President of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, who called to explain the situation of drugs and other disagreements that we have had,” Trump wrote in his post on Wednesday.
“I appreciated his call and tone, and look forward to meeting him in the near future,” he added. Meanwhile, Petro told his supporters in Bogotá that they had also discussed Venezuela. The call is considered significant because it took place just days after Trump warned that the US could intervene militarily in Colombia following the recent capture of Venezuelan President
Nicolás Maduro.
The tussle between Trump and Petro
It is pertinent to note that Trump and Petro had an increasingly sour relationship since last year. Back in September, the United States cancelled
Petro’s visa after he called on troops to disobey Trump’s orders.
Washington has already
sanctioned Petro and members of his inner circle personally for allegedly enabling drug trafficking. It also “decertified” the Andean nation as a partner in the war on drugs, as the once-close relationship between the two countries frayed.
According to Bloomberg, the call was set up by Colombian Ambassador to the US Gabriel García Peña, who maintains strong relationships in Washington. Meanwhile, Blu Radio reported that the call between the two leaders lasted for approximately 45 mins. It’ll be interesting to see the call’s long-term impact on the ties between the two leaders.
Tensions in Latin America reached an all-time high after Trump began his monthslong pressure campaign on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, which reached its ultimate stage just a few days into 2026, when the US conducted two strikes in the Venezuelan capital and “captured” Maduro and his wife. The couple is currently at a New York detention centre and is facing charges of drug trafficking.
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