colombianherald.com

After almost two hours of private conversation in the Oval Office, Presidents Gustavo Petro and Donald Trump concluded their first and only official meeting before the Colombian president hands over power in August.

Although secrecy was the rule during the day, the exchange of messages and photographs on social networks revealed a much more cordial atmosphere.

The most striking point of the meeting was the gift that the Republican gave to the Colombian leader: a photograph of the two shaking hands, in which Trump wrote in his own handwriting: “Gustavo: A great honor. I love Colombia.”

This gesture, added to the tour they took together through the “corridor of presidents” in the White House, seems to indicate that the relationship between both leaders managed to overcome, at least momentarily, the tensions over the decertification in the fight against drugs and the inclusion of Petro in the Clinton List.

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In the background of the talk, drug trafficking remained the unavoidable topic. While the Trump administration has been critical of the increase in illicit crops, Petro insisted on his approach to peace and land substitution.

White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said Trump entered the meeting with “very good disposition,” prioritizing direct diplomacy over confrontation.

The strategic relationship between Bogotá and Washington was put to the test at a table where important figures such as Marco Rubio, Secretary of State, and the Colombian Foreign Minister, Rosa Villavicencio, were also present, seeking points of agreement in the midst of opposing ideological visions.

Upon leaving the presidential residence, Petro was received with applause at the Colombian embassy, ​​where he is preparing to offer a press conference to clarify the real scope of the agreed commitments.

Despite the public clashes of the past, the “low profile” diplomacy adopted by the White House for this event seems to have paid off in terms of institutional stability.

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