The first quarter of 2026 left a clear signal for Colombia: the United States remains the country’s main strategic partner and continues to be decisive for its economic performance. Colombia trade with the U.S. grows, but it also leaves a warning: While bilateral trade shows strong dynamism, the arrival of new investment in Colombia shows signs of caution that the country cannot ignore.
Between January and February of 2026, Colombian exports to the United States reached US$2,669.8 million, which represents a growth of 22.5% compared to the same period of 2025, when they totaled US$2,179.7 million. With this result, the United States accounted for 32% of Colombia’s external sales to the world, according to figures from DANE and DIAN (the Colombian tax department).
But the relevance of this figure is not only in the volume. It is also in what it reveals about the structure of Colombian exports. About 71% of sales to the United States corresponded to nonmining energy goods, which totaled US$1,891.5 million and grew 24%.
Related: IMF Lowers Colombia’s 2026 Growth Forecast to 2.3%.
More than 3,000 Colombian companies export every year to the United States
Within that group, the agricultural sector exported US$1,053 million, with an increase of 13%, while manufacturing reached US$838.5 million, with a growth of 40.4%, according to an analysis by the Colombian American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham Colombia) based on official foreign trade figures.
The signal, for AmCham Colombia, “is forceful”: The United States not only continues buying more Colombian products, but also continues to be the most important platform to diversify the country’s export basket.
The depth of this relationship is also reflected in the business base. On average, more than 3,000 Colombian companies export every year to the United States, which is equivalent to about one-third of the total exporting companies in the country. In January 2026 alone, 1,229 companies had already made sales to that market, according to calculations by AmCham Colombia based on official export records.
This shows that the relationship with the United States does not benefit only a few large players, but represents a concrete opportunity for thousands of Colombian companies of all sizes.
Composition of United States investment in Colombia raises concern
However, in investment, the message is different and more demanding. The United States remained in 2025 as the main foreign investor in Colombia, with flows of US$3,375 million, equivalent to 29.4% of the total foreign investment received by the country, with presence in more than 15 sectors such as commerce, telecommunications, energy, manufacturing, and agriculture, according to figures from the Banco de la Republica analyzed by AmCham Colombia.
But beyond the total amount, what worries is the composition of that investment. Fresh capital fell from US$7,427 million to US$5,408 million, a reduction close to 27%, while reinvestment of profits rose from US$4,818 million to US$5,112 million, according to information from the Banco de la Republica.
That contrast should not be minimized. The message is forceful: those who are already in Colombia continue betting on the country, but the arrival of new capital is cooling. And that reflects a signal of caution regarding the environment for investing. Colombia cannot normalize that message nor let it be lost among good trade results.
“This panorama must be a wake-up call for the country and, especially, for those who aspire to govern it. Colombia needs to recover competitiveness and confidence as an investment destination,” said Maria Claudia Lacouture, president of AmCham Colombia, quoted in a statement.
“It is not enough to state that the country remains attractive; it is necessary to demonstrate it with legal certainty, regulatory stability, coherent institutional messages, and confidence in execution. Investment is not sustained with speeches, but with clear rules.”
Even more concerning is that this signal comes at a time when the regional context is indeed showing greater dynamism in investment. According to ECLAC, Latin America and the Caribbean received US$188,962 million in foreign direct investment, a growth of 7.1%. Brazil and Mexico were decisive, accounting for 38% and 24% of the regional total, respectively, while the United States consolidated itself as the main origin of that investment, with 38% of the value invested in the region.
That is to say: There is capital, and there is also appetite for Latin America and the Caribbean. For that reason, the signal that Colombia is giving is even more worrying: The country does have what it takes to attract investment, but today it is also doing too much to scare it away, according to AmCham Colombia.
Beyond trade and investment, the United States continues to be a decisive partner for the Colombian economy. In 2025, it was the main source of remittances to Colombia, with transfers of US$6,455.1 million, equivalent to 49% of the total received by the country, according to figures from the Banco de la Republica. It also remained the main sender of international tourists: between January and February of 2026, 177,531 travelers from that country entered, equivalent to 22% of nonresident visitors, according to data from Migracion Colombia.