In an about-face from his recent comments about Colombia’s president, Gustavo Petro, President Trump said on social media Wednesday evening that it had been a “Great Honor” to speak by phone with Mr. Petro, who he said had “called to explain the situation of drugs and other disagreements that we have had.”
Mr. Trump said he appreciated Mr. Petro’s “call and tone.” The change in attitude comes amid escalating tensions between the two leaders, with Mr. Trump only a few days ago referring to Mr. Petro as “sick” and saying military action against Venezuela’s neighbor “sounds good.”
Mr. Trump said that a meeting with the Colombian president in the White House was being arranged by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Colombia’s foreign minister, and that he was looking forward to it.
The two leaders spoke for about an hour late Wednesday afternoon in a call facilitated by the U.S. Embassy in Colombia, according to the Colombian presidency. A U.S. official also said the call lasted about an hour, which is unusually long for a call between Mr. Trump and another leader. The Colombian Foreign Ministry described it as a “good meeting.”
After Mr. Trump’s threatening comments earlier in the week, Mr. Petro responded with a storm of messages on social media and with a call to Colombians to demonstrate across the country on Wednesday afternoon, roughly at the same time as his call with the American president.
The two leaders spoke through translators, according to the Colombian presidency.
The State Department revoked Mr. Petro’s visa last fall after he called for American soldiers to disobey Mr. Trump and “not to point their guns at humanity” during a pro-Palestinian rally in New York. In announcing the plan to revoke Mr. Petro’s visa, the State Department cited “his reckless and incendiary actions.”
Edward Wong contributed reporting.
Annie Correal is a Times reporter covering Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean.
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