Trump called Colombia’s Gustavo Petro after suggesting military action

Colombian President Gustavo Petro spoke by phone with U.S. President Donald Trump after Mr. Trump had said military action against Colombia “sounds good” and called Mr. Petro a “sick man” who makes cocaine to send to the United States.

The call took place after Mr. Petro returned to the presidential palace in Bogotá while thousands waited at a rally he had called, and a U.S. official said the conversation lasted about an hour. Mr. Trump later posted that it was a “Great Honor” to speak with Mr. Petro, said he appreciated “his call and tone,” and that a White House visit was being arranged.

Mr. Petro had earlier warned that the threat of U.S. action was real, called on Colombians to demonstrate and gave a rare interview to The New York Times in which he denied being a drug trafficker. Relations between the two leaders have been openly hostile: Mr. Petro has criticized Mr. Trump’s policies and U.S. strikes, and the United States revoked Mr. Petro’s visa last fall after he urged American soldiers to disobey Mr. Trump, the Times reported.

The phone call appeared to defuse an immediate crisis and left Mr. Petro looking relieved; an aide said, “Well, looks like we’re going to Washington.” It remained unclear what prompted the call, and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment, while arranging a possible visit will require addressing the revoked visa.

Key Topics

World, Gustavo Petro, Donald Trump, Colombia, Bogotá, U.s. State Department