The United States has granted a special five-day visa to Colombian President Gustavo Petro and Foreign Minister Rosa Villavicencio, clearing a major diplomatic hurdle for their upcoming meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House.
The temporary permits, which become effective on Sunday, Feb. 1, will allow the Colombian delegation to enter the country for the first face-to-face conversation between the two leaders, scheduled for Feb. 3 in Washington.
According to reporting by Noticias Caracol, the notification was confirmed by Foreign Minister Rosa Villavicencio in a meeting she held with the Colombian president.
President Petro had his US visa revoked after his last visit
The issuance of these special permits addresses a significant uncertainty that had surrounded the summit. Relations between Bogota and Washington had deteriorated recently, leading to the revocation of visas for President Petro, his family members, and Interior Minister Armando Benedetti. The U.S. took this action after the Colombian head of state participated in a march in support of Palestine in New York, calling U.S. troops to disobey President Trump’s orders. In response to what was perceived as a blow to diplomatic cooperation, Villavicencio renounced her own visa in solidarity.
The meeting marks a potential turning point for the two nations. Tensions had manifested in months of cross-border rhetoric, with Trump previously accusing Petro, without evidence, of being a leader in drug trafficking. However, the dynamic shifted following a phone call between the leaders on Jan. 7, which took place four days after the extraction of Nicolas Maduro from the Venezuelan regime.
In the aftermath of the call, President Petro revealed that President Trump said to him, “I know that many lies have been invented around you, just like about me.” The upcoming meeting in Washington is expected to focus heavily on the fight against drugs. Petro has defended his administration’s record, asserting that Colombia has reached record figures in combating criminal activity related to narcotics.
Delegation details
The Colombian delegation will include Chief of Staff Raul Moreno, communications advisor Andres Hernandez, and a group of five journalists.
Interior Minister Armando Benedetti is also seeking to join the president. According to local reporting, Benedetti has already sent the required documentation through the Foreign Ministry and is awaiting a response.
The summit is viewed as an opportunity to strengthen and rekindle strained relations between the two hostile administrations.