Colombian President Petro optimistic about high-stakes White House meeting with Trump

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Colombian President Gustavo Petro said Friday he was optimistic about a high-stakes White House meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump scheduled for Feb. 3. The announcement marks a significant de-escalation after months of hostility that saw the U.S. revoke Petro’s visa and impose sanctions on him and his family over unproven drug-trafficking allegations.

“The talks are going well,” Petro said in a brief message on X, after citing an announcement from the foreign ministry regarding preparations for the meeting.

In a significant diplomatic shift, Colombian Foreign Minister Rosa Villavicencio and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a cordial call to finalize preparations. According to Tommy Pigott, a State Department spokesman, Rubio confirmed during the exchange Friday that President Petro would receive full diplomatic guarantees — a sharp reversal from September, when Washington threatened to revoke Petro’s visa following his criticism of U.S. foreign policy at a New York rally.

According to both governments, the upcoming meeting will pivot from recent tensions toward “common priorities,” including trade, joint economic opportunities, and regional security. Discussions are also expected to focus on intensifying the fight against transnational organized crime.

Tensions between the presidents eased in early January when Trump took a phone call from Petro, who called to “explain the drug situation and other disagreements we’ve had,” according to the U.S. president.

The disagreements between the two leaders have included immigration policy and Israel’s military actions in the Gaza Strip, but have focused especially on the fight against drug trafficking.

Trump has accused Petro, without providing evidence, of being an “international drug leader," and the U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned him and his wife for these alleged ties. Petro has denied the accusations, which he has called unfair, arguing that he has dedicated himself to combating drug traffickers in his country.

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