BOGOTA: United States President Donald Trump on Wednesday (Jan 7) invited his Colombian counterpart Gustavo Petro to the White Home, simply days after threatening him with military action over alleged drug trafficking.
Trump had warned Petro on Jan 3 to “watch his ass” following US forces’ ousting of leader Nicolas Maduro in neighbouring Venezuela.
On Wednesday, following the primary cellphone name between the leaders since Trump took workplace in January, the 79-year-old Republican mentioned he was arranging to satisfy with Petro “within the close to future”.
Petro “known as to elucidate the state of affairs of medication and different disagreements that we’ve got had”, Trump mentioned in a put up on his Fact Social platform.
“I appreciated his name and tone, and stay up for assembly him within the close to future” on the White Home, he added.
US forces attacked Caracas within the early hours of Saturday, bombing army targets throughout a shock snatch-and-grab raid to take away Maduro from energy and assert Washington’s management over the oil-rich South American nation.
Chatting with reporters on Air Power One on Sunday, Trump made related threats of army motion in opposition to Venezuela’s neighbour, Colombia.
Trump accused the Colombian chief, with out offering proof, of being concerned in drug trafficking and hit him and his household with monetary sanctions.
When requested whether or not a army intervention much like Venezuela was on the playing cards for Colombia, Trump mentioned: “It sounds good to me.”
Petro mentioned on Monday he was ready to “take up arms” within the face of such threats.
Colombia’s deputy overseas minister Mauricio Jaramillo advised AFP in an interview on Wednesday that the US strike on Venezuela may ripple out right into a “disaster” for the entire of Latin America.
Petro known as for demonstrations throughout Colombia on Wednesday in defiance of Trump’s menace.
Petro advised a rally of supporters he deliberate to attend the White Home assembly, for which no date was given.
He mentioned he had been planning to make “fairly a troublesome” speech, however softened the tone after the hour-long name with Trump.
He mentioned he requested Trump for the 2 nations to “re-establish direct communications between their overseas ministries and presidents”.
Colombia and the US have a historical past of army and financial cooperation.
