In a recently published article in TIME magazine, the President of Colombia Gustavo Petro argues that the foreign policy of U.S. President Donald Trump, based on what he calls “peace through strength,” “has failed.”
According to Petro, this approach has generated more tensions than security and has fallen short in facing global challenges such as conflicts, climate change, and international cooperation. In his text, aimed at an international and predominantly American audience, the Colombian president combines global political analysis with a call for a profound change in North-South relations and in the paradigm of contemporary diplomacy.
In addition, the president once again took the opportunity to advocate for the decarbonization of the planet, something that — he said — has stalled and is having devastating effects on the atmosphere, as acknowledged by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, who, at the opening of COP30 in Brazil, stated that the goal of halting global warming, established at the 2015 Paris conference, was no longer attainable.
Colombia’s Petro tells Time magazine that Trump’s peace policy ‘has failed’
In a brief article published in TIME magazine on the occasion of last weekend’s summit between the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) and the European Union (EU), the Colombian president seized the moment to launch new criticisms at the U.S. president. At the center of his analysis, Petro lays out what he calls “peace through strength.”
In his view, that paradigm is based on the idea that deterrence, military deployment, and pressure can stabilize conflict-ridden regions. However, Petro — as evidenced by his numerous clashes with the White House — does not share that thesis. From Colombia, the president argues that contemporary conflicts — whether armed, geopolitical, or environmental — require a more collaborative, preventive approach, less centered on military superiority. In his article, he warns that “the interests of humanity are best served by cooperation, not by a policy of antagonism.”
Petro reviews Trump’s record on international security and approaches it from the perspective of a Latin American country that has dealt with structural inequalities, drug trafficking, and violence. He points out that Washington’s strength-based approach not only failed to resolve underlying conflicts but also reinforced dynamics of resentment, dependency, and marginalization.
In his text, he emphasizes that the world’s “heinous conflicts are far from being resolved under a policy of peace through strength.” He also recalls the threats and sanctions that Colombia received from the United States during that administration, which adds a personal and diplomatic dimension to his assessment.
An alternative proposal: cooperation and the environment
Beyond criticism, Petro clarifies where global priorities should be directed. In his article, he calls on the world to accelerate decarbonization, as climate progress has stalled and demands bold alliances between Latin America, the Caribbean, and Europe. For him, the energy transition is inseparable from an authentic peace policy, since energy flows, natural resources, and emissions are becoming as central to conflict as traditional geopolitics.
He also urges Latin American blocs to establish themselves as influential players in the new era, building a “beacon” in the face of authoritarianism and exhausted development models.
In this regard, and in light of his strained relationship with the current U.S. administration, Petro recalled that “President Donald Trump labeled me a drug trafficking leader. He sanctioned me and threatened to suspend aid to Colombians who continue to fight bravely against the insidious drug trade.”
Nevertheless, he said that “the struggle for a fairer world, where life is precious and not cheap, has not been diminished by the recent attack from the U.S. government against my presidency and my nation.”
Regarding the fight against climate change — one of the central pillars of his presidency in Colombia — Petro highlighted the actions of his administration. “The defense of the environment and of Indigenous peoples has been one of the pillars of my presidency and a constant concern. That is why my government has not granted any new licenses for oil and gas exploration. Solar and wind energy currently account for more than 9% of Colombia’s total electricity production, compared to 1.5% in 2022,” he wrote.
Related: ‘The Rebel Turned President Willing to Take on Trump’, New York Times Article on Colombia’s Petro.