The US president has repeatedly warned that the Latin American country’s leader should “watch his ass”
Colombian President Gustavo Petro has said he will meet with his US counterpart, Donald Trump, at the White House on February 3, for talks he described as “decisive.”
Speaking at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Petro said the date was agreed through diplomatic exchanges with the Trump administration, noting that the talks would address bilateral issues, including drug trafficking.
“We will see the results of that meeting, which is decisive. My intention is that Colombians, wherever they are in the country, do not suffer and can feel at ease,” Petro said.
The meeting will be the first face-to-face talks between the two leaders since Trump returned to office.
Trump announced Petro’s visit to Washington following a phone call with the Colombian president last week, after previously accusing him of drug trafficking and threatening military action.
“It was a great honor to speak with the president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, who called to explain the situation regarding drugs and other disagreements we have had,” Trump said at the time. “I appreciated his call and his tone, and I look forward to meeting with him in the near future.”
Washington has stepped up pressure on Latin American countries over narcotics and security issues, with Trump singling out Petro for drug-related matters, claiming he should “watch his ass.” Earlier this month, Trump issued a threat aimed at Colombia, saying that taking action against the country “sounds good.”
Petro responded, saying that in the face of Trump’s “illegal threats,” he was prepared to “take up again the weapons that no one wants to touch.”
Trump last year imposed sanctions on Petro and revoked his visa after the Colombian leader condemned what he called “barbaric” US strikes on alleged cartel boats in the Caribbean, which Petro said were targeting ordinary fishermen. Trump later labeled the Colombian president an “illegal drug leader.”
The latest tensions come after US commandos abducted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in a weekend raid in Caracas. Petro called the operation an “abhorrent” violation of Venezuela’s sovereignty, a view echoed by several South American countries, as well as Russia and China.
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