President Gustavo Petro did not like the fact that five mayors from the country's main cities traveled to the United States to lobby the White House to prevent Colombia from being decertified for its fight against drugs. These are the mayors of Bogotá, Carlos Fernando Galán; Medellín, Federico Gutiérrez; Cali, Alejandro Eder; Barranquilla, Alejandro Char; and Cartagena, Dumek Turbay, who undertook this diplomatic tour in the face of the imminent risk that Washington would decertify Colombia, according to SEMANA.
Petro, who is in Japan on a state visit, responded: “These mayors are not authorized to represent Colombia. The Constitution is clear. Whether they certify or not, the Colombian Constitution is respected.”
Despite the president's message, the leaders—almost all of whom are critical of the Petro government—will remain in the United States until Tuesday, September 9, because they are clear about the negative impact and repercussions that a possible decertification by the U.S. government would have on the country.
The mayors will also propose that cooperation should not be limited to punitive measures, but should be strengthened through actions in the areas of security, economic development, democracy, and migration.
One of the leaders who will play an important role in this tour is Alejandro Eder, the governor of Cali. His city has been the victim of a significant increase in illicit crops that finance armed groups that have carried out several terrorist attacks against the capital of Valle del Cauca.
The possible decertification of Colombia by the United States would come after the increase in hectares of coca crops in the country and the difficult relationship between Presidents Gustavo Petro and Donald Trump, who have bared their teeth on social media on more than one occasion.
Recently, former president and Liberal Party leader César Gaviria, who knows foreign policy like few others, warned:"I think Colombia will definitely be decertified."
According to the former president,"based on the messages sent by the people who came to Miguel Uribe Turbay's funeral on August 13 in Bogotá, and those who have been here these past few days, I don't think they will necessarily lead to Colombia receiving many economic sanctions. No."
In the United States, every year in the second week of September, the White House must present a report detailing the cooperation provided over the past 12 months by countries that produce illicit drugs. And Colombia, in the opinion of several experts, is expected to back down by 2025.
