Trump Meets Petro at White House: Return to Normalcy?

U.S. President Donald Trump met with Colombian President Gustavo Petro at the White House, in a meeting that followed a period of tension in relations between the two countries.

The meeting took place after an online exchange of insults between the two leaders. Trump did not invite reporters to the Oval Office, but the White House released photos of the meeting on platform X. Bogotá released more photos, including Trump's handshake with Petro.

The meeting was also attended by U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and the Colombian Ministers of Defense and Foreign Affairs, Pedro Sánchez and Rosa Villavicencio.

Relations between the two countries had intensified after a U.S. military operation in Venezuela, with Petro initially stating that he would "take up arms again" against Washington. However, the tone changed after a telephone conversation between the two presidents on January 7.

Colombia made a goodwill gesture, announcing the resumption of repatriation flights of migrants from the U.S. and the resumption of glyphosate spraying on coca crops.

The meeting was expected to focus on drug trafficking, with Colombia being the world's largest producer of cocaine and the U.S. the largest consumer.