The president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, confirmed that he will meet with the U.S. president, Donald Trump, in early February, following months of threats from the White House as part of its anti-drug policy. Petro stated that the purpose of the meeting is to bring peace of mind to the Colombian people and to inform Trump about the lies that a certain sector of the Colombian opposition spread about him and his government among U.S. authorities. "Finally, there is communication that allows the president and the authorities of the United States to really know what is happening with the struggle we have waged in this government against drugs in general," he indicated. Petro acknowledged that Colombia remains one of the largest producers of cocaine, but emphasized that the abuse of fentanyl in the U.S. constitutes a public health problem that is the sole responsibility of the U.S. government. "We have to make sure that it does not enter Colombia," he affirmed, classifying fentanyl as a "weapon of mass destruction". Petro assured that it is a priority for the Public Force to identify possible criminal networks that seek to enter and commercialize this "drug of death" in the South American country. Additionally, Petro noted that if the United States wishes to cooperate with Colombia in the fight against drug trafficking, it can start by buying the products sold by peasants who voluntarily replaced their illicit crops.
