Petro and Trump strike conciliatory tone after 12 months of tensions

[ad_1] Colombian President Gustavo Petro and US President Donald Trump appeared to bury the hatchet on Tuesday after a 12 months of sparring that culminated in threats by Trump to topple the left-wing chief as he did in Venezuela.

“My impression of the assembly just a few hours in the past is in the beginning that it was optimistic,” Petro advised reporters after assembly Trump on the White Home behind closed doorways.

Trump mentioned he “received alongside very properly” with the chief whom he lately accused of pumping cocaine into america and had warned to “watch his ass” after the autumn of Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro.

“He and I weren’t precisely the most effective of pals, however I wasn’t insulted as a result of I by no means met him. I didn’t know him in any respect, and we received alongside very properly,” Trump mentioned on the White Home hours after the talks ended.

Trump mentioned the 2 international locations have been “engaged on” anti-drug trafficking cooperation, in addition to on lifting US sanctions the Republican had imposed on the South American nation.

Fears in Bogota that Petro might be subjected to certainly one of Trump’s famously fiery televised Oval Workplace confrontations have been dispelled when reporters have been saved out.

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“You're nice,” Trump wrote to Petro as he signed a replica of his 1987 ebook Artwork of the Deal, based on the photographs.

Regardless of being worlds aside politically, the Colombian returned reward for the 79-year-old US chief.

“The reality is I like simple People, individuals who say what they really feel. We’re completely different, undoubtedly, by quite a bit. However frankness comes first,” he mentioned.

The 2 leaders reclined in gold chairs within the Oval Workplace as they talked, accompanied by US Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and senior Colombian officers, based on photographs launched by Petro’s workplace.

In addition they shared a heat handshake within the West Wing colonnade, subsequent to portraits of former US presidents that Trump lately put in, together with unflattering biographies of a few of his latest predecessors.

Petro additionally mentioned after the assembly that Trump had agreed to mediate Colombia’s commerce warfare with Ecuador.

The South American neighbours have imposed import tariffs of 30 per cent on each other in a dispute over easy methods to sort out drug trafficking – additionally a significant political subject for Trump.

‘Frequent aim’ It was a far cry from the earlier harsh rhetoric between a pair who come from absolute reverse ends of the political spectrum.

The Colombian had repeatedly defended Venezuela’s chief Nicolas Maduro, a fellow left-winger, earlier than his seize by US forces on January 3. He additionally criticised lethal US air strikes on alleged drug trafficking boats.

Trump, in the meantime, has been urgent Colombia to crack down on drug trafficking, threatening army strikes on its territory as he had in opposition to each Venezuela and Mexico.

After the Maduro raid, an emboldened Trump stepped up his barbs, saying a Venezuela-style motion in opposition to Petro “sounds good to me”.

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“I imply, he’s been very good over the past month or two,” Trump mentioned on Monday on the eve of the go to. “He was definitely vital earlier than that, however by some means, after the Venezuelan raid, he turned very good.”

Petro mentioned on X shortly earlier than the assembly that throughout the talks he was “decided to proceed strengthening the connection between two nations that share a standard aim: the battle in opposition to drug trafficking”.

In an obvious reference to strikes on drug boats within the Caribbean and Pacific which have killed greater than 100 folks, he added that he needed to take action “from an method that prioritises life and peace in our territories”.

In an olive department to Trump hours earlier than their talks, Petro extradited an accused drug lord to america after a months-long suspension of such transfers.

Colombia additionally abruptly agreed on Friday to just accept US deportation flights – reversing the very choice that triggered the falling-out between Trump and Petro final 12 months.