Colombia-US Relations Strain as Petro Reconsiders Alliances, Eyes BRICS
A deepening rift between Colombia and the United States has prompted a diplomatic reassessment from Bogotá, culminating in President Gustavo Petro’s cancellation of a planned trip to the BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on July 6 and 7. The escalating tensions stem from a confluence of factors, including diverging immigration policies, Colombia’s involvement in China’s Belt and Route Initiative, and its recent accession to the new BRICS Development Bank.
Diplomatic Fallout and Ministerial Resignation
The crisis gained momentum with the resignation of Foreign Minister Laura Sarabia, a key figure in managing Colombia’s foreign policy. This move followed reported discomfort within the US government, which initiated consultations with its chief of mission in Bogotá, John McNamara. Petro responded directly to these developments, announcing via his X account the recall of Colombian Ambassador to the United States, Daniel García-Peña, for consultations.
“Daniel must come to inform us about the bilateral agenda advance to which I committed myself from the beginning of my government,” Petro stated, outlining seven key areas for discussion, including economy, energy transition decarbonization, and the revitalization of the Amazon jungle and the Chocó biogeographic forest.
Business Concerns and Petro’s Assertions of Independence
The situation further unfolded following an interview with María Claudia Lacouture, president of the American Chamber of Commerce (Amcham Colombia), published in Time magazine. Lacouture discussed the potential impact of the impasse on commercial relations. Petro addressed her concerns on X, acknowledging the strategic importance of the relationship with the US.
“The relationship between Colombia and the United States is one of the most strategic for the country. Preserving it requires prudence, institutional management and state vision,” Lacouture had said.
Petro responded by emphasizing Colombia’s need for broader international partnerships. “It must depend and help the world, We have enough commercial intelligence to do so. The rest is only rentier laziness. The US is part of the world, it is not the world, I respect his people and his desire for freedom. In the struggle for freedom we get together, never in the return to slavery,” he wrote.
BRICS Expansion and Continued Engagement
Despite Petro’s absence, Colombia will be represented at the BRICS summit by Guillermo Rivera, the current ambassador to Brazil. Rivera’s role will be to engage with block leaders on critical issues such as economic cooperation, global governance, and sustainable development. Notably, the presidents of China, Xi Jinping, and Russia, Vladimir Putin, will also not be attending the summit.
The evolving situation signals a potential shift in Colombia’s foreign policy priorities, as the nation navigates a complex landscape of international alliances and seeks to assert its independence on the global stage.
