US, Colombian presidents agree to meet at White House Following Venezuela tensions

In a phone call, U.S. President Donald Trump and Colombian President Gustavo Petro agreed to a personal meeting at the White House following a recent public spat triggered by the U.S. attack on Venezuela.

Trump shared the development on his Truth Social account, expressing satisfaction with the conversation, per Caliber.Az.

“It was a Great Honor to speak with the President of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, who called to explain the situation of drugs and other disagreements that we have had. I appreciated his call and tone, and look forward to meeting him in the near future,” Trump wrote, adding that the meeting is being arranged by the U.S. Secretary of State and the Colombian Foreign Minister.

For his part, Petro emphasised that he discussed differences in views regarding U.S.-Latin America relations with Trump and once again proposed the idea of an energy partnership, stating that the region could meet U.S. energy needs with clean energy and contribute to addressing the climate crisis.

The call followed escalating tensions sparked by a U.S. military raid on January 3, 2026, in Caracas, Venezuela. U.S. forces conducted airstrikes to suppress defences, raided President Nicolás Maduro's residence, and captured Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores. They were flown to New York for federal charges related to narcoterrorism and drug trafficking. Trump justified the operation as law enforcement with military support, emphasising access to Venezuelan oil and disrupting drug routes.

Earlier, Petro had sharply criticised Trump, calling him “worse than Hitler” and labelling him part of a “pedophile clan,” while Trump had considered a possible military operation against the Colombian leader.

By Khagan Isayev