Colombian President Gustavo Petro provided US President Donald Trump a high-value target list of drug lords during their meeting at the White House on February 3, identifying the top leaders of Colombia’s most prominent armed groups.
According to reporting by local media, the list includes “Chiquito Malo” of the paramilitary group Gulf Clan, “Pablito” of the National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrilla, and “Iván Mordisco,” the leader of the FARC dissident group known as the Estado Mayor Central. The names were revealed by the Colombian Ambassador to the United States, Daniel García-Peña, who participated in the nearly two-hour Oval Office session.
The handover of these specific names marks a significant development in bilateral relations, as these individuals lead the primary organizations that the Petro administration previously attempted to engage through its “Total Peace” initiative.
García-Peña stated, “There is already collaboration, but collaboration on the border is going to be increased, particularly with Venezuela, but President Trump’s very clear commitment is that Colombia and the United States have to continue working together against these criminal forces.”
Petro’s pursuit of drug lords marks a strategic shift
The diplomatic move to reinforce the fight against these structures comes at a critical moment for Petro’s domestic peace policy of “Paz total”. While dialogue with the Gulf Clan, which refers to itself as the Gaitanista Self-Defense Forces of Colombia, remains active with recent rounds of talks in Qatar, other processes have crumbled.
Negotiations with the ELN have been suspended since January 2025 following a humanitarian crisis in the Catatumbo region, and dialogues with “Mordisco” were formally broken in 2024.
Critics of the administration highlighted these setbacks as evidence of a failed approach. According to reporting by EL TIEMPO, Juanita Goebertus of Human Rights Watch asserted in a recent annual report that “the total peace policy and the human security policy of Gustavo Petro failed.”
Related: Gulf Clan Halts Talks with Colombia after Petro–Trump Meeting.
An “extraordinary” meeting
Despite the domestic challenges, García-Peña described the atmosphere in the White House as “extraordinary” and “frank,” noting that there was no tension during the lengthy discussion. The ambassador emphasized that the meeting achieved the goal of presenting the Petro government as the strongest ally for the United States in the struggle against transnational crime.
García-Peña said, “I never imagined it was going to be so, so well… A very frank, very productive, very constructive dialogue was established between the two presidents.”
The commitment to increase border collaboration, especially regarding the Venezuelan border, shows a renewed focus on security operations as Petro enters the final months of his presidential period.
Related: US Considers Removing Colombia’s Petro From the Clinton List.