President Gustavo Petro accused his US counterpart, Donald Trump, of wanting to interfere in the 2026 elections in Colombia. The head of state made this accusation against his counterpart in the White House while questioning a video published by the governor of Antioquia, Andrés Julián Rendón, about his visit to Washington this week.
“The presence of regional leaders in the United States is related to the US government’s decision to interfere in Colombia’s elections,” Petro asserted on his Twitter account. This is not the first time the Colombian president has questioned the actions of mayors and governors in the US capital. Last September, the meeting between the mayors of Medellín and Cali, Federico Gutiérrez and Alejandro Eder, with White House officials and Democratic and Republican members of Congress angered the president.
By then, Gutiérrez and Eder had spoken with officials in that administration about the risk of Colombia's decertification in the fight against drugs and the implications of such a decision for the Military and Police Forces. Days later, Colombia was decertified in its fight against drugs with a waiver, a measure that allowed the sanction to have a more political than punitive emphasis.
Now, Governor Rendón's visit comes at the invitation of that government to meet with authorities from that country and to participate in a conference where he will speak about the security challenges posed by the growth of criminal groups and in the context of total peace.
“You know we’re not ones to complain. I’ve come to deliver a message of optimism and resolve on behalf of all of you. Fellow countrymen, I’ll keep you updated on these activities, always with the firm purpose of defending democracy so that our beautiful territory thrives,” the governor commented regarding his visit to the United States.
President Petro criticized Governor Rendón's visit, warning about an alleged"mechanism" operated in foreign currency.
“We already know the dollar mechanism. So the President of Colombia must guarantee free elections in Colombia and asks all the Colombian people to maintain the free spirit and shout ‘Free Colombia’,” the president wrote.
The presence of regional leaders in the US is related to the US government's decision to interfere in the Colombian elections.
— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) December 12, 2025
Bad.
We already know the dollar-based mechanism. So the President of Colombia must guarantee free elections in Colombia and requests… https://t.co/Z9AKzk0J4d
The Antioquia Governor's Office had announced that Andrés Julián Rendón would be leaving the country for a few days and appointed Lina Cuartas as acting governor. Rendón has been one of the most vocal critics of President Petro's agenda.
