Colombian President Gustavo Petro also said he proposed to Trump that Bogotá and Caracas work together on the ground militarily to combat drug trafficking and asked for help in capturing important cartel leaders. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that his meeting with his Colombian counterpart, Gustavo Petro, went "very well" and that both are working on various issues, including sanctions. "We are working on it (the drug trade) and we get along very well. I didn't know him at all, and we get along very well, and we are working on it," explained the U.S. president. Although the Republican did not specify what type of penalties he was referring to, in October Washington designated Petro and his family as persons involved in drug trafficking and in September withdrew Colombia's certification as an ally in the fight against drug trafficking. Trump also said that both sides had come closer in the fight against drug trafficking. "We are also working on other issues, including sanctions. He and I were not exactly the best friends, but I did not feel offended because I had never known him," he added. Washington has been asserting that cocaine production has skyrocketed under Petro's government, while he defends that his crop substitution policy has been successful. "And we had a very good meeting, I thought it was fantastic," he added. Petro himself said at a press conference afterward that he left his meeting with Trump at the White House with a "positive impression" and an "optimistic air" after a "moment of serious tension." The meeting came after a year of strong tensions and mutual accusations between the two leaders and has been particularly focused on the issue of drug trafficking. In an interview with Caracol Radio prior to this appearance, Petro said he did not speak with the U.S. president about his removal from the mentioned list of the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the Department of the Treasury and stressed that the important thing was to remove Venezuela and Colombia as a whole from said list.
Trump and Petro Discuss Cooperation in Drug Trafficking Fight
U.S. and Colombian presidents met in Washington, discussing cooperation in the fight against drug trafficking and mutual sanctions. Both leaders expressed satisfaction with the dialogue, which followed a period of tension.
