Colombian President Gustavo Petro issued a formal apology to President Donald Trump after falsely accusing Secretary of State Marco Rubio of plotting a coup, sparking a diplomatic rift between the two nations. In a letter dated June 23 and confirmed by multiple Colombian outlets, Petro backtracked on his explosive claims, calling for a reset in U.S.-Colombia relations.
Petro, a former Marxist guerrilla and Colombia’s first far-left president, made headlines in June after alleging—without evidence—that Secretary Rubio conspired with a Colombian “far-right leader” to remove him from office. The baseless charge was quickly echoed by Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro and condemned by Rubio, who called it “reprehensible.” The U.S. responded by recalling its top diplomat from Bogotá, while Petro recalled Colombia’s ambassador to Washington in retaliation.
In his letter, Petro claimed that his remarks were not intended as personal accusations, but acknowledged they may have been “unnecessarily harsh.” He stated a desire to “turn the page” and emphasized the need for dialogue on shared challenges such as migration and transnational violence. Petro also proposed a joint summit between the U.S. and the CELAC bloc, which he currently chairs.
The diplomatic crisis deepened amid reports that the U.S. had revoked visas for Colombian officials with ties to Petro’s former terrorist group, M19. Petro, who previously mocked the alleged revocation of his own visa, now appears to be shifting tone following mounting pressure and internal political chaos.
The apology comes as Petro’s government faces fresh instability. Foreign Minister Laura Sarabia resigned last week, becoming the third foreign minister to leave under his administration. Sarabia, a key Petro ally, confirmed the apology letter was “preventive in nature” and was sent ahead of any official diplomatic reprisals. Her resignation stems from a growing dispute over the nation’s passport production system, with Sarabia accusing Chief of Staff Alfredo Saade of “sabotaging” operations and misleading the president.
Amid the turmoil, Colombia’s passport system is now in disarray. Citizens flooded ministry offices on Monday after online appointments vanished for July. Acting Foreign Minister Rosa Villavicencio, a Chávez admirer with no command of English, has since been appointed, raising further concerns about Colombia’s foreign policy direction.
Petro’s apology, though belated, underscores the cost of reckless rhetoric and the strength of President Trump’s resolve in defending U.S. officials and restoring American leverage on the world stage.
