Colombian President Gustavo Petro Calls Trump, Possible White House Meeting
USA – Colombian president Gustavo Petro called his US counterpart Donald Trump on Wednesday, discussing several issues including drug trafficking.
“I appreciated his call and tone, and look forward to meeting him in the near future,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Trump said arrangements for the meeting are being coordinated between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Colombia’s Foreign Minister Rosa Villavicencio.
“The meeting is expected to take place at the White House in Washington, D.C.,” he added.
Petro said on US social media company X that the two leaders discussed “disagreement” about Trump’s view of the relationship between the US and Latin America.
He noted it would be possible to establish an “American alliance” if the annual potential of clean energy in South America were harnessed, adding that Latin America could enable 100% of the US energy matrix in a step to “fight to stop the climate crisis.”
“Using Latin America solely for oil would only lead to the destruction of international law and therefore to barbarism and a third world war,” Petro added.
He proposed that a $500 billion investment by the US could make the “clean energy potential of Latin America” a reality.
Earlier, Trump issued a warning to Petro, accusing him of being a drug trafficker.
The Colombian president has denied the accusations, asserting that he has never been involved in drug trafficking.
Petro Invites Venezuela’s Delcy Rodriguez for Talks
Colombian President Gustavo Petro said on Wednesday that he had spoken with Venezuela’s interim President Delcy Rodriguez and invited her to Colombia, as Bogota pushes for dialogue to prevent “further instability” in the neighboring country.
Speaking to a crowd in Bolivar Square in Bogota, Petro said: “I spoke two days ago with Delcy, the current president in Venezuela. I have known her since the beginning of this entire process. I invited her to Colombia,” referring to Rodriguez, who assumed the interim presidency with backing from the Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ) and the military.
Petro added that he proposed a global dialogue to stabilize Venezuela and said he would raise the idea in a possible White House meeting with US President Donald Trump.
Colombia’s Foreign Minister Rosa Villavicencio said at a press conference on Tuesday that the Petro administration would wait for Venezuelans to decide their political future before recognizing Rodriguez as interim president.
Rodriguez formally took office on Jan. 5 after being sworn in before the National Assembly, following the detention of President Nicolas Maduro during US air strikes.
