US, Colombia reset alliance amid regional volatility

Colombian President Gustavo Petro and US President Donald Trump sat down in the Oval Office this week, signaling a fragile but functional reconciliation in a meeting that appeared impossible weeks ago.

Following months of bitter exchanges and aggressive sanctions, both leaders emerged from the meeting, framing it as a triumph of pragmatism over personal animosity.

The relationship reached rock bottom in early 2026, following the US military capture of President Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela. At the time, Trump labeled Petro a "sick man" and threatened intervention in Colombia, similar to the one in Caracas.

It all started in January 2025, when Colombia was one of the first countries Trump threatened with tariffs. He did so after Petro refused to accept a plane carrying deported Colombians because they were chained.

The impasse was overcome, but relations continued with difficult times.

In September, the US withdrew Colombia's certification in the fight against drug trafficking for the first time in three decades, and shortly thereafter, the US Treasury Department placed Petro, his family and Interior Minister Armando Benedetti on the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) list -- effectively freezing their international financial standing.

The Colombian president also criticized Trump for the deployment of the US military to the Caribbean Sea and attacks by the Pentagon against alleged drug boats. He also condemned the operation that ended in Maduro's capture by US military forces.

Petro, whose US visa had been revoked after he urged American soldiers to disobey illegal orders during a speech in a New York City park, required a special diplomatic waiver to attend the meeting at the White House.

Despite the history, the truce began one month ago, when the two had a call in which they agreed to meet in Washington.

The strategic partnership between the US and Colombia remains a linchpin of Western hemispheric stability, serving as a critical axis for regional security and mutual economic prosperity. By harmonizing advanced US intelligence and technology with Colombian ground operations, the new counter-narcotics framework revitalizes a security alliance that has historically been the region's strongest defense against organized crime.

Economically, the stabilization is vital for Colombia's domestic health, as it protects the $13 billion in annual remittances and the 30% of national exports, such as petroleum, coffee and cut flowers, that flow to American markets.

The collaboration not only shields Colombia from the volatility of punitive tariffs but also ensures that Washington maintains its most reliable military and commercial partner in South America during a period of significant geopolitical transformation.

Trump noted at a news conference that the two "got along very well," while Petro said agreements are best forged between "opponents who can find paths to human brotherhood."

After the meeting, Petro shared images of a signed copy of "The Art of the Deal" by Trump, with an inscription from that read, "You're great," alongside a photograph of their handshake, inscribed with, "Gustavo. A great honor. I love Colombia."

Petro confirmed that his inclusion on the OFAC list was not part of the conversation.

"It doesn't interest us, not even as a family," he said.

Even staunch critics in Trump's party shifted their tone. Republican Sen. Bernie Moreno, who attended the meeting between Trump and Gustavo, welcomed the outcome.

"Colombia has been, and can once again be, our great ally and strategic partner. We look forward to collaborating with Petro's administration during his final months in office," he wrote on social media.

In August, Moreno said Petro was doing "everything possible to make relations with the US impossible."

"It has become crystal clear that in Colombia we do not have a leader who will allow us to follow this path of mutual benefit," he said at the time.

For Petro, the meeting was a necessity born of geopolitical reality. Public sentiment in Colombia remains overwhelmingly pro-US, with 81% stating that maintaining ties with Washington is vital.

Following the fall of Maduro, the fear of a similar military or trade offensive against Bogota had become a dominant concern for the Colombian administration.

By securing the truce, Petro has ensured that he ends his presidency as a leader capable of overcoming diplomatic differences with opponents.

Likewise, for the US, a stable Colombia remains the most strategic asset in an increasingly turbulent South America.