WASHINGTON, Jan. 8– U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he is expecting to meet Colombian President Gustavo Petro in the White House soon, after Washington’s recent raid on Venezuela and kidnapping of its President Nicolas Maduro and his wife.
“It was a Great Honor to speak with the President of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, who called to explain the situation of drugs and other disagreements that we have had,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
The meeting will take place in the White House, and arrangements are being made between U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Colombian Foreign Minister Rosa Yolanda Villavicencio, Trump added. Petro, for his part, confirmed that he had a phone conversation with Trump for the first time since Trump’s presidential term, which lasted about an hour or more.
Petro said he asked Trump to restore direct communication between the foreign ministries and leaders of the two countries to avoid the misinformation that is causing the deterioration of bilateral relations.
Trump said he “appreciated his (Petro’s) call and tone,” three days after claiming that a U.S. military strike against Colombia “sounds good to me.” “He’s not going to be doing it for very long.”
Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Sunday night, accusing Colombia of making cocaine and selling it to the United States. After the U.S. troops raided Venezuela on Saturday, Petro, condemning the U.S. action, had said in a statement on Monday: “Come get me.
I’m waiting for you here.” He also called the Pentagon’s strikes on alleged drug vessels in the Caribbean and the eastern Pacific Ocean “murder.”
Colombia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement Sunday that the country is willing to “maintain international relations based on dialogue, cooperation and mutual respect,” and “considers threats or the use of force in relations between States unacceptable.” (Namibia Daily News / Xinhua)
