Despite the political turmoil in his country, where he requested the resignation of every cabinet member, Colombian President Gustavo Petro left for the Arabic Peninsula to attend a series of international engagements, including the World Government Summit 2025 in the United Arab Emirates.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro Sunday asked every member of his cabinet to submit their resignation, as he intends major adjustments to fully comply with the National Development Plan. I have requested protocol resignation to ministers, ministers, and directors of administrative departments, Petro posted on X.
The US State Department confirmed Monday that delays were still to be expected by Colombian nationals seeking a visa to travel to the United States after the incident between Presidents Donald Trump and Gustavo Petro over the weekend regarding two deportation flights.
Washington and Bogotá played cat-and-mouse this weekend after the Colombian leftwing Government Gustavo Petro refused to allow US military planes carrying deportees to land in the South American country. In response, President Donald Trump slapped 25% tariffs on all Colombian imports, after which Petro adopted a reciprocal measure.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro discussed with Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro the possibility of tackling drug trafficking together on the border between the two countries, particularly in the Catatumbo River where a joint action plan is under development given the security crisis stemming from activities by the National Liberation Army (ELN) and dissidents of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrillas.
Luis Gilberto Murillo has turned in his resignation as Colombia's Foreign Minister, presumably to pursue an electoral position, it was reported Monday in Bogotá. According to local media, Murillo might be running for president next year. His successor effective Feb. 1 will be President Gustavo Petro's Friday woman and lawyer Laura Sarabia. Also resigning Monday was Transport Minister María Constanza García.
Authorities in Bogotá and Mexico City admitted this week that their governments will be represented in Caracas on Jan. 10 when President Nicolás Maduro takes his oath of office for a new six-year term (2025-2031)for which he was chosen in the controversial July 28 elections which the opposition also claims to have won.
Presidents Daniel Noboa of Ecuador and Gustavo Petro of Colombia met Sunday at the Charles Darwin Research Station in the Galapagos Islands to discuss environmental protection initiatives, border cooperation, and other matters of mutual interest, such as drug trafficking and energy integration.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro Thursday decorated Uruguay's former head of State José Pepe Mujica with the Order of Boyacá for his commitment to regional peace. The ceremony was held at Mujica's residence in Rincón del Cerro, on the outskirts of the country's capital, where the 89-year-old leftwing leader welcomed a group of his supporters.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro would like his US colleague Joseph Biden to pardon convicted Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) leader Juvenal Ovidio Ricardo Palmera, alias Simón Trinidad, who is serving a 60-year prison sentence for kidnapping in a federal facility in the State of Colorado.