Colombia’s leader is set to meet US President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday and attempt to de-escalate tensions.
President Gustavo Petro will likely try to convince Trump that Bogotá is cracking down on drug trafficking, even as the country’s cocaine production surges, The Wall Street Journal wrote.
The two men struck a friendly tone on a recent phone call, but Petro has since resumed criticizing Trump over his immigration agenda and capture of Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro.
Both leaders’ “willingness to speak their minds no matter the consequences” could derail Tuesday’s meeting, The New York Times wrote, with wide-reaching ramifications for Latin America as Trump takes a more assertive approach to the region.