Colombian President Gustavo Petro said he is optimistic about a Feb. 3 White House meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, describing preparations as "going well." The announcement follows months of strained ties that included U.S. threats to revoke Petro's visa and sanctions tied to alleged drug links. Officials say the talks will focus on trade, economic cooperation and regional security, while U.S. diplomats warn concerns persist over violence, illicit drug cultivation and Petro's tactics with armed groups.
Petro Expresses Optimism Ahead Of Feb. 3 White House Meeting With Trump As Tensions Ease
Colombian President Gustavo Petro addresses supporters in a rally he called to protest comments by U.S. President Donald Trump, in Bogota, Colombia, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Santiago Saldarriaga)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
BOGOTÁ — Colombian President Gustavo Petro said Friday he is optimistic about a high-stakes meeting at the White House with U.S. President Donald Trump scheduled for Feb. 3, calling the talks "going well" in a brief post on X. The development signals a diplomatic thaw after months of strained ties that included U.S. threats to revoke his visa and sanctions targeting him and some family members amid allegations of drug-trafficking links.
Diplomatic Preparations Underway
Colombian Foreign Minister Rosa Villavicencio and U.S. interlocutors completed preparatory communications this week. Marco Rubio — who has been active in bilateral outreach — took part in a cordial call with Villavicencio to finalize arrangements. State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said Rubio conveyed that Petro would receive full diplomatic guarantees for the visit, a notable reversal from earlier U.S. warnings about visa actions.
Agenda: Trade, Security And Organized Crime
Officials from both governments say the Feb. 3 meeting will pivot away from recent tensions toward "common priorities," including trade, shared economic opportunities, and regional security. The leaders are also expected to discuss stepped-up cooperation against transnational organized crime and drug trafficking — a central concern for Washington.
Ongoing U.S. Concerns
Despite the rapprochement, U.S. diplomats have voiced continuing worries. U.S. Deputy Ambassador to the United Nations Jennifer Locetta told the U.N. Security Council that, while conversations between Trump and Petro have been "productive," the United States remains "deeply concerned about instability, violence, and illicit drug cultivation and trafficking" in Colombia.
Locetta also criticized elements of Petro's strategy toward armed groups, saying experimental pauses in combat operations and reduced coca eradication tied to negotiation efforts have, in some cases, emboldened armed actors and strengthened their bargaining position.
Context
The U.N. Security Council reviews the implementation of Colombia's peace agreement with the former FARC guerrillas on a quarterly basis. The upcoming White House meeting will be watched closely by regional leaders and international observers as a test of whether the two governments can turn recent de-escalation into concrete cooperation on trade and security issues.
Associated Press writer Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed to this report.
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