In the midst of global expectation and an environment of high diplomatic tension, President Gustavo Petro arrived in Washington DC at 12:30 am this Monday, February 2, to begin his official agenda in the United States.
The peak of this visit will be the private meeting with his counterpart Donald Trump, scheduled for this Tuesday, February 3 at 11:00 am at the White House.
The meeting, which will include the participation of the Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, will take place under strict secrecy, as it has been confirmed that it will be a closed session without access to the media.
The arrival of the Colombian president was not without controversy. Hours before boarding the plane, Petro published a message on his social networks that many described as gloomy: “I visited my mother to say goodbye,” he wrote along with photos of his parents, which raised alarms about the emotional and political weight that the president gives to this trip.
It should be remembered that this meeting occurs after months of friction, after the Trump government revoked visas for the presidential family and Petro’s name appeared on the so-called ‘Clinton List’ for alleged links to illicit economies.
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Despite the friction, the Casa de Nariño emphasized that the primary objective is to consolidate a “Pact for Life” and strengthen institutional relationships.
In addition to the appointment in the Oval Office, Petro will fulfill an agenda that includes a conference on climate change at Georgetown University and dialogues with the OAS.
The delegation accompanying the head of state, made up of Foreign Minister Rosa Villavicencio and the Minister of Defense, Pedro Sánchez, seeks to advance bilateral cooperation issues in a meeting that Petro himself has called “determining” for the tranquility of all Colombians.
The president’s itinerary in Washington will extend until February 5. For the moment, all eyes are on this Tuesday’s dialogue, where thorny issues such as the fight against drug trafficking and Trump’s previous warnings about a possible military intervention in the region are expected to be addressed.
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