Trump and Colombia's Petro, foes exploring a thaw, meet at White House

U.S. President Donald Trump and Colombian President Gustavo Petro met for the first time on Tuesday, in a White House encounter widely seen as a test of whether they could reach a lasting detente despite clashing ideologies and reputations for unpredictability.

After the roughly two-hour private meeting wrapped up, Petro posted a photo on X suggesting it had been cordial.

The photo contained a note apparently handwritten by Trump with the words: "Gustavo - A great honor - I love Colombia." It also contained a photograph of the two leaders shaking hands and smiling.

Little information was otherwise available. No media was allowed into the Oval Office to witness the meeting, and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters shortly after the encounter that she had not discussed the meeting with Trump.

One photo released by the White House showed the two leaders sitting together in the Oval Office, with Trump holding a serious, if inscrutable, expression. Vice President JD Vance was also present.

Trump, who has voiced a desire for American dominance over all of Latin America, has in recent months had an up-and-down relationship with Petro, a former anti-imperialist guerrilla who was elected Colombia's president in 2022.

LEADERS HAVE CRITICIZED EACH OTHER

In October, Trump called Petro an "illegal drug leader" though he provided no evidence, and in January, he mooted military action against the longtime ally, which he has accused of failing to control the narcotics trade.

Petro has been harshly critical of Trump. He has said the Trump administration's deadly strikes on alleged drug boats amount to war crimes and he described the U.S. operation last month deposing Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro as a "kidnapping."

In January, the two leaders held a phone call that both described positively, a surprise thaw that resulted in Petro's invitation to Washington. Trump told reporters on Monday that Petro's tone had changed of late, implying that he had become more acquiescent after the Maduro raid.

'THE STAKES ARE HIGH'

At the Tuesday meeting, Colombian officials planned to deliver a detailed presentation on their main anti-drug achievements, including figures on cocaine seizures, according to three sources with knowledge of the matter.

In another photo released by the White House on Tuesday, one Petro aide can be seen holding a pamphlet reading: "COLOMBIA: America's Ally against Narcoterrorists."

Will Freeman, fellow for Latin American studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, said ahead of the meeting that it could go smoothly if Petro stuck to discussing counternarcotics, rather than broader philosophical disagreements.

Both leaders have been known to behave unpredictably, speak elliptically and change opinions quickly.

If they fail to reach a more lasting rapprochement, it could have profound implications for regional security, analysts said.

Colombia is the world's top producer of coca, the main ingredient in cocaine, and several U.S.-designated terrorist organizations are present in the country.

But it has also been one of Washington's staunchest allies in the region, working closely with successive administrations to suppress drug flows northward.

Under Petro, coca production in Colombia has climbed, though the exact figures are a matter of dispute. Bogota argues that while the government has shifted away from forced eradication - a policy that can harm subsistence farmers - it has ramped up seizures and more sophisticated interdiction efforts.

Last week, Petro urged Colombian migrants to return from Chile, Argentina and the United States so as not to be treated like "slaves." He also said it is better to live in Havana than in Miami, which he described as traffic-clogged and cultureless.

Before departing for Washington, Petro struck an upbeat if lofty tone.

"I think we should fill ourselves with optimism," he told public television station RTVC.

Reuters