New Escalation Between Colombia and America: Petro Pursues Trump Legally
Colombian President Gustavo Petro announced yesterday, Wednesday, his intention to defend himself legally in the United States and to pursue American President Donald Trump for defamation, after the latter described him during a press conference as a " bully ".
Petro, a leftist politician, stated that he would take the case to American courts with the help of American lawyers, in response to what he described as "slander" directed at him on American soil by senior officials.
Relations between Colombia and the United States, traditional allies, have been increasingly tense in recent months, following public exchanges of insults between the two leaders, casting a shadow of concern over the historical relationship that has lasted for more than two centuries.
In this context, the Colombian ambassador to Washington, Daniel Garcia Pena, condemned Trump's threats against his country and its president, warning that these threats and accusations, which he described as "unacceptable", could put the close relationship between the two countries at real risk.
The ambassador added in statements to Agence France-Presse: "Under no circumstances can such baseless accusations and threats be justified".
This escalation comes after Trump accused Petro of being a "drug lord", and announced in a post on his platform "Truth Social" the cessation of all American financial aid to Colombia, accusing the Colombian president of strongly encouraging illegal drug production, describing that aid as "a form of plunder".
Trump concluded his post by stating in capital letters:
"As of today, no payments or grants will be made anymore".
It is worth noting that these disputes have arisen amid accusations from the Colombian side against the United States of violating Colombia's maritime domain and killing a fisherman, further complicating relations between the two countries.
In light of this crisis, the world is watching the legal steps that President Petro will take to confront the American accusations and respond to the insults that have affected the historical relations between the two partner countries.
