After months of acrimony, Colombia's Petro is about to meet Trump

February 3, 2026

Colombian President Gustavo Petro is traveling to Washington to meet with President Trump after months of hostile exchanges between the two leaders. Their discussions will center on border security concerns stemming from Venezuela's instability, particularly regarding the ELN guerrilla group that controls smuggling operations along the shared border, as well as Colombia's role in combating cocaine trafficking. The meeting represents a potential diplomatic reset following a recent cordial phone call facilitated by Senator Rand Paul, despite previous accusations from Petro comparing US immigration agents to Nazis and Trump claiming Colombia fails to stop drug flows.

Who is affected

Colombian President Gustavo Petro and US President Donald Trump
US Senator Rand Paul (Kentucky) and Democratic Senator Chris Coons
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro (recently seized by US military)
The National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrilla group and its approximately 6,000 members
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents
Colombian Foreign Minister Rosa Yolanda Villavicencio
Colombian Senator Iván Cepeda (Petro's backed successor)
US firms involved in Venezuela's oil industry
Colombian military personnel (30,000 deployed to Venezuelan border)
US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Colombian police
Elements of the Venezuelan military
Residents along the 1,367-mile Colombia-Venezuela border
Colombian and US security agencies

What action is being taken

President Petro is heading to Washington for an in-person meeting with President Trump on Tuesday
Colombian officials are preparing to showcase their government's counter-narcotics efforts
Petro has ordered 30,000 Colombian soldiers to the Venezuelan border
Military cooperation continues between the two nations
The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Colombian police are maintaining cooperation

Why it matters

This meeting is significant because it could determine the future of US-Colombia security cooperation at a critical moment when Venezuela's instability threatens regional security. The relationship affects the global fight against cocaine trafficking, as Colombia is the drug's largest producer and US-Colombia intelligence sharing is essential for investigations. The outcome will influence whether the two countries can work together to address the ELN guerrilla group's control of the Colombia-Venezuela border, which is vital for protecting US oil industry interests in Venezuela following Maduro's removal. Additionally, the meeting's results could impact Colombia's upcoming presidential election and set the tone for how Latin American countries engage with the Trump administration.

What's next

The two presidents will meet at the White House on Tuesday to discuss Venezuela, drug trafficking, oil, security, and US strikes on alleged drug vessels
The conversation will focus on shared concerns over security in Venezuela and stabilizing the Venezuelan-Colombian border
Colombian officials will showcase their counter-narcotics efforts to the White House
The meeting's outcome could impact the electoral chances of Senator Iván Cepeda in Colombia's upcoming presidential election (Petro's term ends in August)

Read full article from source: BBC