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| Gustavo Petro, Donald Trump. Photo: GIAN EHRENZELLER / TASS / EPA / Getty Images / Andrew Harnik |
Colombian President Gustavo Petro, during his first telephone conversation with US President Donald Trump, touched upon the restoration of direct dialogue at the level of presidents and the Foreign Ministry, the fight against drug trafficking and the situation around Venezuela, he said this while speaking at a rally in Bogota in defense of sovereignty and democracy.
"I asked to restore direct communications between the presidents and the foreign ministries, because if you don't talk, the history of Colombia teaches us only violence," Petro said, noting that the conversation itself was the first step towards resuming contacts after a long period of tension.
According to him, he deliberately limited the circle so as not to delay the conversation, and focused on two issues — Venezuela and drug trafficking. In particular, Petro said that he had provided Trump with specific data on his government's fight against drug trafficking, stressing that for decades he had personally opposed drug cartels and politicians associated with them.
According to him, he deliberately limited the circle so as not to delay the conversation, and focused on two issues — Venezuela and drug trafficking. In particular, Petro said that he had provided Trump with specific data on his government's fight against drug trafficking, stressing that for decades he had personally opposed drug cartels and politicians associated with them.
The Colombian leader told the American president about the increase in cocaine seizures — up to 3.5 thousand tons per year, which, according to him, no government in Colombia or any country in the world has managed. He also pointed out that the rate of seizures exceeds the growth rate of coca crops, which indicates the effectiveness of the chosen strategy.
Petro stressed that he paid special attention in the conversation to the voluntary replacement of illegal crops, calling it more effective than coercive measures, which, according to him, lead to casualties among security forces and civilians, but do not solve the problem.
Speaking of In Venezuela, the Colombian president said that he reminded Trump of a letter sent earlier in which he proposed building international alliances around the transition to clean energy. According to Petro, he told a colleague from the United States that pressure and forceful actions against countries with natural resources only exacerbate global risks and the climate crisis.
Petro quoted Trump's words following the conversation, who called the conversation "a great honor," thanked him for the tone of communication and expressed hope for a personal meeting. According to the Colombian leader, the foreign ministers of the two countries are organizing possible negotiations in Washington.
After months of playing tough in public, Colombian President Gustavo Petro says he finally spoke to President Trump to explain himself.
— George (@BehizyTweets) January 8, 2026
"It lasted about an hour, and he let me speak, so I tried not to talk too much..."
"If there is no dialogue, there will be war."
They're all… pic.twitter.com/q5JmiBXkZy
The Colombian president stressed that he considers direct dialogue to be a necessary tool to reduce violence and prevent escalation, adding that his priority remains peace both inside the country and in the region, including Venezuela.
On January 3, the United States launched a massive attack on Venezuela, President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Celia Flores were captured and taken to New York. US President Donald Trump said that Maduro and Flores would stand trial because they allegedly had to do with "drug terrorism" and posed a threat, including to the States. Maduro and his wife during a court hearing in New York declared their innocence on the charges.
Caracas, in connection with the US operation, requested an urgent UN meeting, the Supreme Court of Venezuela temporarily assigned the duties of the head of state to Vice President Delcy Rodriguez. On Monday, Rodriguez officially assumed the post of acting Venezuelan president and took the oath of office before the National Assembly.
