Smiles and gifts at the meeting between Trump and Petro at the White House: "You're great"
The Colombian president gave a very positive assessment of the meeting, which lasted two hours and took place behind closed doors.
WashingtonAfter a tumultuous relationship over the past year, the meeting between Colombian President Gustavo Petro and Donald Trump at the White House concluded satisfactorily for both sides. The closed-door conversation, which lasted two hours, appears to have gone so well that the Colombian president left with two souvenirs: a photograph with Trump signed by the president and a copy of his book. Trump: The art of the dealwith a dedication included. "You're great," the signature reads. Petro himself shared both images on social media and in an interview on Radio Caracol. Prior to the press conference scheduled at the Colombian embassy, the former anti-imperialist guerrilla leader expressed his enthusiasm for the meeting, rating it 9 out of 10. At the time of this writing, Petro had not yet appeared. The face-to-face encounter represents a 180-degree turn in the tense relations between Bogotá and Washington.
"The meeting comes at a time when I believe we have fears and expectations about the future, and that's what the meeting was about," he explained to the reporter. When asked if his stance toward the United States would change, Petro emphasized: "We must be able to speak the truth, avoid disinformation, and agree on a path forward."
The president did not receive the customary welcome given to heads of state with the honor guard on the North Portico of the White House. As it was an unofficial visit, he entered through the west entrance, which connects the west wing of the presidential residence to the Eisenhower Building. The only other leader to have used this access point during Trump's second term was Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa during his visit last year. Despite a subdued reception, the Colombian praised the tour he was given of the White House Walk of Fame. "This familiarity has allowed me to establish a good relationship. I didn't know the White House; now I find it more beautiful, and I told [Trump] that he's a good designer," the Colombian explained. Since returning to power, Trump has been redecorating the Oval Office and every corner of the iconic building, whose Versailles-inspired aesthetic contrasts sharply with the classic, austere style. This is yet another reflection of the magnate's absolutist aspirations, with the construction of the ballroom set to be the crowning achievement.
Before the meeting, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that Trump "was in a very positive mood just before the meeting and was very much looking forward to having a conversation with President Petro." Based on images published in the press of the meeting, and the Colombian president's subsequent social media posts, it appears that both delegations shared a relaxed encounter.
History of Feuds
The recent clashes between the two leaders amid Trump's military campaign to revive his backyard doctrine in Latin America did not foreshadow such a friendly meeting. In fact, since the Republican returned to power, Petro has sought to position himself as the main opponent of Washington's imperialist ambitions. The Colombian was among the first to speak out against Trump for the bombings of alleged drug-trafficking boats, but he has recently toned down his rhetoric following the kidnapping of Nicolás Maduro. Bogotá has always been considered Trump's next target after Caracas. Just as he did with the deposed Chavista president, the US president has also accused Petro of being an "illegal drug kingpin," although he has provided no evidence. In January, already emboldened by the military intervention in Venezuela, he hinted at the possibility of similar action against Colombia.
Shortly after these threats, Petro called Trump to ease tensions. This conversation already set the tone for what transpired this Tuesday at the White House. The Colombian president described the 55-minute conversation as "friendly" and "historic." Even then, Petro asserted that they primarily discussed how to combat drug trafficking from Colombia. The main topic of Tuesday's meeting was also to be the fight against drug trafficking. Petro, who has the presidential elections on the horizon in May, advocates for seizures, demand reduction, and alternative economic projects for small-scale plantain farmers. The United States insists on crop eradication and supply control.
