The diplomatic relationship between the United States and Colombia has hit a new low as both nations recall their top diplomats, catalyzed by a series of contentious events and allegations against Colombia’s left-wing leader, President Gustavo Petro.
The United States initiated the diplomatic withdrawal on Thursday by recalling charge d’affaires John McNamara, citing ‘baseless and reprehensible statements from the highest levels of the government of Colombia.’ State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce elaborated that the U.S. is also contemplating ‘other measures’ to express its concerns regarding the state of bilateral relations, though details were not specifically stated.
Following this move, President Petro swiftly announced the recall of Colombia’s ambassador to Washington, DC. He instructed Ambassador Daniel Garcia-Pena to return home to discuss developments in their bilateral agenda, which includes initiatives pertaining to clean energy and combating international drug trafficking.
This diplomatic spat erupted just hours after the resignation of Colombia’s foreign minister, Laura Sarabia, who expressed her disagreement with recent decisions made by the Petro administration. In a post on X, she stated, ‘In recent days, decisions have been made that I do not agree with and that, out of personal integrity and institutional respect, I cannot support.’
Relations between the two nations have experienced a significant decline, particularly given Colombia’s historically close partnership with the United States, which thrived under decades of right-wing governance.
The tension escalated further when Colombian prosecutors launched an investigation into an alleged conspiracy to overthrow President Petro, involving Colombian and American politicians. Reports from the Spanish daily El Pais surfaced, revealing recordings that implicated former Foreign Minister Alvaro Leyva in the alleged plot.
President Petro characterized the situation as a conspiracy involving drug traffickers and segments of the extreme right in both Colombia and the U.S. He asserted on Monday that his government is under threat from those resorting to anti-democratic measures.
In an address delivered in Bogota on Thursday, Petro downplayed the involvement of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, whom he had previously linked to the coup allegations, asserting, ‘I don’t believe that a government that has Iran as its enemy and nuclear weapons pointed at it will engage in a coup d’etat in Colombia.’
The recent history of U.S.-Colombia relations has been marked by mutual accusations. In late January, the U.S. briefly suspended consular services to Colombia following Petro’s refusal to allow the return of Colombian refugees via U.S. military planes. Petro condemned this treatment, critiquing U.S. authorities for viewing refugees as criminals.
Trade tensions intensified between the two countries as threats of imposing high tariffs surfaced. At one point, a potential trade war was narrowly avoided due to an agreement for the Colombian air force to handle the repatriation of migrants.
Al Jazeera’s Alessandro Rampietti, reporting from Bogota, highlighted the severity of the current diplomatic situation, suggesting that solutions that previously seemed attainable are now uncertain.
The potential for further deterioration in U.S.-Colombia relations is under scrutiny as the Colombian government also recently rejected a U.S. request for the extradition of two prominent rebel leaders facing drug trafficking charges in the U.S.
As tensions continue to rise, the implications for both nations and their long-standing alliance remain to be seen.
image source from：aljazeera
