The president said cocaine trafficking will dominate talks with Colombia’s leader as Washington escalates pressure on regional drug networks.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
President Donald Trump said he plans to meet with Colombian President Gustavo Petro at the White House in early February, with drug trafficking and cartel activity set to be the central focus of the discussions.
Trump announced the planned meeting in a post on Truth Social, saying he expects to host Petro during the first week of February. In the message, Trump emphasized that stopping cocaine and other drugs from entering the United States would be a top priority of the talks.
“I look forward to having a meeting with Gustavo Petro, the President of Colombia, in the White House, during the first week of February,” Trump wrote. “I am sure it will work out very well for Colombia, and the U.S.A., but, cocaine and other drugs must be STOPPED from coming into the United States.”
The announcement follows heightened U.S. action against drug trafficking in the region, including the recent extraction of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to face drug trafficking charges in New York. Trump administration officials have framed that operation as part of a broader campaign to disrupt transnational narcotics networks and pressure governments accused of tolerating or enabling cartel activity.
Trump has previously warned that Petro’s government could face U.S. retaliation if Colombia fails to confront drug cartels operating within its borders. He has pointed to narcotics enforcement as a national security issue and has cited it as justification for aggressive measures, including regional crackdowns and maritime interdiction efforts.
The upcoming meeting signals a renewed push by the Trump administration to secure stronger cooperation from Colombia, long a key U.S. partner in counter-narcotics efforts, as Washington intensifies its campaign against cocaine production and trafficking in Latin America.
Original article
Comments