The Foreign Ministry confirmed the recall of Colombia's ambassador to Washington, Daniel García-Peña, for consultations following the escalation of the diplomatic crisis with the United States. The official is already in Bogotá to discuss the situation with President Gustavo Petro.
"Foreign Minister Rosa Yolanda Villavicencio Mapy informs the public that Daniel García-Peña, Colombia's Ambassador to the United States of America, has been summoned for consultations by President Gustavo Petro Urrego and is already in Bogotá," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a brief statement.
In that same message, it was announced that decisions would be announced in the coming hours. This is the second recall to consultations the ambassador in Washington must respond to in less than five months. The previous one occurred in July after the United States recalled the head of its mission in Bogotá, John McNamara, following statements by President Gustavo Petro in Cali, in which he suggested that Secretary of State Marco Rubio might be planning a coup d'état against him.
García-Peña spent four days in Bogotá, providing context on what's happening in the United States and reviewing the bilateral agenda with the president. Meanwhile, the Foreign Ministry launched a strategy to de-escalate the diplomatic conflict by sending messages of stability to the State Department and explaining President Petro's statements.
The situation has become even more serious, as President Donald Trump verbally attacked the Colombian president, calling him a"drug trafficking leader"—the same accusations used against Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela—and announced the elimination of subsidies to Colombia for cooperation. He also confirmed that tariff measures that threaten the national economy will be implemented.
According to the Foreign Ministry, all international bodies will be called upon"in defense of our sovereignty as a State and the dignity of our president."
"The aforementioned communication poses a direct threat to national sovereignty by proposing an illegal intervention in Colombian territory, a country that has historically been a valuable ally in the fight against drugs in the region and around the world," the diplomatic ministry stated.
The crisis between Colombia and the United States—its main trading partner for years—has been building since late January, when President Petro returned two US planes carrying Colombian deportees. Since then, derogatory messages have proliferated from both sides, especially regarding Israel's offensive in Gaza and the decertification of Colombia in the fight against drug trafficking.
Former foreign minister and current ambassador to the United Kingdom, Laura Sarabia, suggested the roadmap Bogotá should follow to de-escalate tensions."More than confrontation, we need unity, serenity, and diplomacy," the ambassador stated.
"The situation is not easy, and the solution lies through diplomatic channels. The Colombian ambassador to the United States will arrive in Bogotá in the coming hours to analyze the situation with the president," announced Interior Minister Armando Benedetti, who is currently acting as the executive branch's spokesperson for the crisis.
