“Colombians have killed each other for entire generations due to revenge, small things, things of no importance, and above all, a lot of social exclusion,” Petro said.

He described Colombia as one of the world ’s most unequal countries and said drug trafficking had fuelled violence and corruption for decades.

Petro later admitted that his administration had failed to fully meet its goals under the Youth in Peace programme, particularly in stopping the recruitment of young people by armed groups and criminal networks.

“This government did not fulfil 100 percent with ‘Youth in Peace’ and more needs to be done,” he said. “Colombia fell into drug trafficking.”

The programme is one of Petro’s flagship social initiatives and aims to provide vulnerable young people with financial assistance, educational opportunities and psychosocial support to prevent recruitment by gangs and illegal armed groups.

Among those attending the event was a participant identified as Daniel, who said the programme should be expanded and protected.

“It is a process that should continue,” he said, adding that it should defend “the rebelliousness of all youth.”

Colombia continues to face violence linked to dissident guerrilla factions, drug trafficking groups and organised crime networks despite ongoing government peace efforts.

He said Cuba was the only country in Latin America and the Caribbean able to produce its own vaccine at the height of the pandemic, adding that the achievement helped save lives, starting with Cubans themselves.

“If a society , in the middle of a global crisis, was able to rapidly produce an effective vaccine, then that society should not be invaded or bombed. It should be applauded and helped,” Petro said.

His remarks came amid renewed tensions between Washington and Havana. On May 1, US President Donald Trump expanded sanctions on Cuba and suggested that the United States could deploy an aircraft carrier near the island.

Cuban officials condemned the move. President Miguel Díaz-Canel described Washington’s position as a “dangerous escalation,” while Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez accused the US of acting with cynicism and hypocrisy.

Petro also pushed for a coordinated strategy to dismantle criminal networks and highlighted energy transition as a pathway to reducing violence and fostering sustainable development. The visit signals a renewed effort to stabilise bilateral ties, revive trade and address long-standing security challenges affecting border communities.

Petro further criticised Noboa over border closures, arguing that the restrictions had pushed more people in both countries towards illegal trafficking networks. He also alleged that criminal groups based in Ecuador were plotting to assassinate him and Senator Iván Cepeda, widely seen as a potential contender in Colombia’s next presidential race.

The remarks add to a growing rift between Bogotá and Quito. Petro said earlier this week that he planned legal action against Noboa over claims linking him to Ecuadorian crime boss Adolfo Macías, known as “Fito”. The diplomatic clash comes amid a worsening trade dispute that began after Ecuador imposed tariffs on Colombian imports, prompting retaliatory measures from Bogotá.

What they said

Petro said the accusations would be dismantled in U.S. legal proceedings and denied any ties to traffickers. Colombia’s embassy stated, “The reported insinuations have no legal or factual basis.” Ecopetrol President Ricardo Roa said the allegations involving the state oil company “lacked all reality or logic.”

A new poll published by El Tiempo places Gustavo Cepeda in the lead ahead of Colombia’s 2026 presidential election with 34.5% support. He is followed by Paloma Valencia on 22.2%, while Abelardo De La Espriella trails with 15%. The survey reflects an increasingly competitive political landscape, with significant fragmentation among opposition figures. Analysts suggest the results highlight shifting voter preferences and early consolidation around leading candidates. With the election still months away, the figures remain fluid but indicate a strong старт for Cepeda’s campaign. The poll also underscores the importance of alliances as candidates seek to broaden support.

Colombia strengthens leadership with CELAC-Africa forum

Colombia has hosted a high-level forum between the CELAC and African representatives, reinforcing its diplomatic leadership role. According to the Foreign Ministry, the initiative aims to deepen cooperation in trade, sustainability and political dialogue between both regions. Officials described the meeting as a milestone in South-South relations, positioning Colombia as a bridge between Latin America and Africa. The forum also focused on shared challenges such as climate change and economic development. Authorities stressed the importance of multilateralism in addressing global issues. The event is part of Bogotá’s broader strategy to expand its international influence.

Birth rate in Antioquia falls to lowest level in 18 years

New data reported by DANE shows that births in Antioquia dropped to their lowest level in nearly two decades during 2025. The decline reflects broader demographic trends across Colombia, including lower fertility rates and changing social dynamics. Experts attribute the drop to economic uncertainty, increased access to education and shifting family planning choices. The figures raise concerns about long-term impacts on the labour force and economic growth. Authorities are monitoring the trend as part of national demographic planning. The data highlights a significant transformation in population patterns within the region.

Four Clan del Golfo suspects arrested in major operation

Colombian authorities have captured four alleged members of the Clan del Golfo wanted by the United States on drug trafficking charges. The operation was carried out by national police in coordination with international agencies, marking a significant blow to the criminal network. Officials stated that the suspects were involved in large-scale narcotics operations linked to transnational routes. The arrests form part of ongoing efforts to dismantle organised crime structures in Colombia. Authorities emphasised continued cooperation with US law enforcement. The case underscores the persistent challenge posed by drug trafficking groups.

Dispute grows over claims in Uribe assassination case

Tensions have escalated following accusations related to the assassination of Miguel Uribe Uribe, with Ivan Cepeda demanding concrete evidence to support recent claims. The controversy has reignited political debate, with differing factions disputing interpretations of historical responsibility. Cepeda criticised what he described as unfounded allegations and called for a fact-based approach. The issue has drawn renewed public attention to one of Colombia’s most emblematic political crimes. Analysts warn that the dispute could deepen existing political divisions. The case remains a sensitive topic in the country’s historical memory.

Córdoba Governor Erasmo Zuleta said around 80 per cent of the department has been impacted, including 24 of its 30 municipalities. Local authorities reported that river overflows and prolonged flooding have damaged homes and rural infrastructure, with more than 33,000 families particularly affected following a series of cold fronts that hit the Caribbean region in late January. Residents described the floods as unavoidable despite efforts to reinforce riverbanks with sandbags and makeshift barriers.

Emergency agencies remain focused on protecting lives and providing shelter and food to displaced families, according to Colombia’s National Unit for Disaster Risk Management. President Gustavo Petro said the scale of the disaster exceeds the state’s normal response capacity, citing 14 deaths, around 9,000 homes destroyed and more than 300,000 people affected nationwide as extreme weather continues to strain vulnerable communities.

The concerns come amid rising trade tensions between the two neighbouring countries. Ecuador recently announced a 30 per cent security tariff on all Colombian imports, citing insufficient cooperation on cross-border crime, including drug trafficking and illegal mining. Colombia responded by suspending electricity exports to Ecuador and imposing its own tariffs on a range of Ecuadorian goods, including rice.

Producers argue that Ecuador would bear the brunt of the dispute. While Colombia could source rice from alternative suppliers or rely on subsidised domestic stocks, Ecuadorian farmers have fewer options to redirect their exports. Industry representatives warn that uncertainty over access to the Colombian market is already discouraging some growers from planting new crops.

The impact could extend beyond farmers themselves. Ecuador relies heavily on Colombian imports such as fertilisers, plastics and vehicle parts, creating an imbalance that leaves rural communities particularly exposed to trade disruptions. With the tariffs set to take effect on 1 February, agricultural groups fear the measures will add to the economic strain faced by farm workers and small producers in one of Ecuador’s most important farming regions.

Ecuador’s government, led by President Daniel Noboa, announced the tariffs earlier this week, framing them as a response to what it described as a lack of reciprocity from Colombia on security cooperation. The measure affects a range of Colombian products and adds strain to an already delicate bilateral relationship.

“We sold them energy when they needed it,” Petro said, referring to electricity exports provided since late 2024. He added that now Ecuador’s situation has stabilised, the decision appeared driven more by political alignment than by regional solidarity, criticising what he described as diplomacy based on confrontation rather than cooperation.

Colombia and Ecuador maintain close economic and security ties, sharing a long and porous border that has required joint efforts against organised crime and smuggling.

Petro said renewed communication between the two sides has created space for Washington to better understand Colombia’s approach to tackling drug trafficking. He argued that dialogue now allows US authorities to grasp the scope of his government’s anti-narcotics strategy, which he described as broader than traditional enforcement-led policies .

Relations between the two leaders deteriorated sharply in early 2026 following a series of public exchanges. Trump described Colombia as a “sick country” and suggested military intervention to combat drug trafficking, comments that Petro rejected by calling for national mobilisation and warning that Colombia would defend its sovereignty. Ties began to stabilise after a phone call on 7 January, paving the way for Petro’s upcoming visit to the White House.

Trump said Colombia remained a major source of cocaine entering the United States and described Petro as hostile to US interests, issuing a blunt warning as tensions between the two governments continued to rise.

Petro had earlier argued that the United States had historically “invaded” and taken territory that should belong to Latin America . He also defended Colombia’s role in the war on drugs and warned Trump against damaging nearly two centuries of diplomatic relations, cautioning him not to “awaken the jaguar”.

The exchange comes amid broader regional friction linked to US sanctions on Venezuela, drug trafficking policy, and shifting diplomatic dynamics between Washington and Latin American governments.

The president argued that Colombia has shed “blood and blood” fighting drug trafficking for more than half a century, insisting that the issue cannot be addressed through force but through dialogue. He sharply criticised Trump’s remarks, accusing the United States of shifting blame while consuming the very narcotics Colombia has battled to curb. “Then the thanks are an insult,” Petro declared, adding that those who escalate threats risk awakening “the American jaguar that is asleep in the heart of the people.”

Trump’s comments earlier in the week, warning that any country producing or trafficking drugs into the US could be “subject to attacks”, raised concerns in Bogotá, particularly after he hinted Colombia could be added to the list of potential targets alongside Venezuela . His statement came as he renewed calls for ground operations against drug networks operating in Venezuelan territory.

The exchange comes amid heightened tensions between Washington and Caracas, with the US maintaining naval deployments in the Caribbean, including the USS Gerald Ford, as Venezuela mobilises its armed forces and millions of militia members. Petro’s intervention adds a new layer of regional friction as disputes over sovereignty, security and counternarcotics strategy intensify.

Speaking via his X account, Petro argued that failing to explicitly name fossil fuels as the root cause of climate change amounts to hypocrisy. He insisted that human existence is only possible if the world transitions away from oil, coal and natural gas , in line with scientific evidence.

Petro was not alone in his objections. More than 80 countries had pushed for a binding fossil fuel exit roadmap during the COP30 talks but ultimately failed to secure a reference in the final agreement. The president’s climate team has described this as a betrayal of scientific consensus and a missed opportunity for a just energy transition.

Colombia’s acting Minister of Environment, Irene Vélez, threw her support behind Petro’s stance, affirming that the government will not yield on the principles of climate justice and scientific truth. She argued that stronger multilateral action and clearer targets are needed to avoid perpetuating dependency on fossil fuel capital.

Petro’s rebuttal to the COP30 declaration has sparked wider debate in Latin America and around the world about climate ambition. While the summit did result in a non-binding “Global Mutirão” agreement on accelerating climate action, critics like Petro say it lacks teeth, particularly without a roadmap to eliminate the fossil fuels most responsible for climate change.

However, Petro faces growing domestic frustration, with critics arguing he is more focused on international issues — including Palestine, Trump’s policies, and the war in Ukraine — than on Colombia’s priorities, potentially jeopardising the country’s crucial trade relationship with the United States .

His recent suspension of intelligence cooperation with the U.S. over its campaign against alleged drug boats has added to tensions, and as world leaders meet at COP30 in Brazil , questions remain about whether Petro’s global message will resonate.

“Liar Trump and your lying friends, liar Mr Rubio. Those you are killing are not drug traffickers,” Petro declared, referring to US operations in the region. He claimed that the real drug traffickers had long moved into political and financial circles. “The drug traffickers have gone, through their politicians, to the offices in Miami to speak with Mr Rubio’s senators, to ask that they bomb here as well, to ask that they also remove the president of the Republic elected by popular vote, to try to humiliate us,” he said.

According to the Colombian government, Petro also recalled the death of a fisherman killed in a US military strike in the Caribbean last year, rejecting claims that the victim was involved in illegal activities. “No one can say that this fisherman, a poor father of a girl, was a drug trafficker. I oppose that,” he added, denouncing what he described as the human cost of foreign intervention.

The president further linked Washington’s regional actions to wider global power imbalances, warning that “what we are seeing in Gaza will happen in the South, in the continents of working and poor people, in those of us who do not hold world power.” He has been one of the most vocal leaders in Latin America to denounce Israel’s actions in Gaza, having suspended coal exports to the country for humanitarian and moral reasons.

Petro went further, condemning Trump’s calls for increased military spending in Europe and arguing that climate change, not geopolitical rivals, represents the most urgent threat. “The President of the United States , Donald Trump, is 100% wrong… It is not a matter of defence and security, it is not Russia the enemy, the climate crisis is the enemy,” he said.

Trump, who has repeatedly downplayed the climate crisis, is not attending COP30 and has previously traded barbs with Petro, at one point calling the Colombian leader a “thug” and “drug trafficker.”

The two-day gathering in the heart of the Amazon brings together world leaders, ministers, and representatives from international organisations to set the tone for COP30 negotiations.

Discussions are centred on accelerating decarbonisation, protecting forests and biodiversity, and advancing climate justice for vulnerable nations.