Colombian President, Gustavo Petro, is embarking on a high-stakes journey to Washington to meet US President Donald Trump. This marks the initial face-to-face encounter for the two figures after months of escalating strains and heated rhetoric.
Topics for Talks
The situation in Venezuela, narcotics trade, energy, regional stability, and American military actions on suspected drug vessels are expected to be high on the list of topics when they gather at the White House on the scheduled day.
Background of Tensions
While the two men were polite in a telephone conversation following a January US military operation, Petro has since said he believes there is a "real threat" of armed intervention against Colombia. Trump, for his part, has earlier remarked that a military operation in Colombia "seems like a good idea".
The upcoming summit comes after an extended period of the two leaders exchanging criticisms. Petro has often condemned repeated US strikes on alleged drugs boats in the Caribbean and Pacific, as well as the White House's immigration policies.
"He changed his attitude," the US President reportedly saying ahead of the Washington talks.
Areas of Disagreement
On the US side, Trump has charged Petro's administration of not doing enough to halt the trafficking of cocaine heading north, and has vowed to expand strikes to terrestrial objectives across the region.
But, the hostility appeared to dissipate following a "cordial" telephone conversation involving the two leaders, which a source from Bogotá later characterized as an complete reversal "from both sides".
Diplomatic Bridge
Per insiders, a key figure – Rand Paul – was pivotal in setting up the dialogue. "I believe in negotiation and I thought our ties were going in the wrong direction," the senator was quoted as saying. "And I'd like to see our relationship to improve."
Regional Stability and the Guerrilla Group
Prior to the meeting, officials from Bogotá indicated that much of the discussion would center on mutual US and Colombian worries over security in the neighboring country, with which Colombia has an long border.
Much of that frontier is controlled of the National Liberation Army. This Colombian guerrilla group, established in the 1960s, controls drug trafficking, extortion, contraband, and illegal mining in frontier regions and reportedly works with compromised officials within the Venezuelan government.
For Trump, addressing the threat of the ELN will be crucial to guaranteeing safety for US firms engaged in Venezuela's oil industry. Experts point out that the ELN has the capacity to disrupt economic ambitions by attacking foreign investors and staff, as it has previously done in Colombia.
Drug War Cooperation
An similarly urgent issue for the two leaders will be the fight against cocaine trafficking from Colombia, the world's biggest producer of the drug. Earlier this year, Petro ordered a halt on intelligence sharing with US authorities following Trump's threats.
The US has, conversely, officially listed Colombia as a country that has "not met its obligations" in controlling drug trafficking. It has also imposed restrictions on Colombian officials, including the leader and members of his family.
"There is no fight without Colombia," said a regional security expert. "Any move to cut off Colombian intelligence could also weaken all enforcement efforts."
Potential Outcomes
Despite multiple areas for collaboration, the possibility for a clash remains. "Trump loves you one day, dislikes you the next day," observed a former diplomat. "I suspect is that Petro will walk in with some concessions to avoid Trump's ire... But one never knows."
But for Petro, even a difficult meeting could be advantageous. His presidential term concludes soon, and the outcome of the talks could impact the political future of his chosen candidate.
"To an extent, he's kind of in a win-win position," said a regional expert. "If it goes well takes the air out of opposition arguments... If talks sour, he's protecting national sovereignty. He could use that in his favor."
