Trump praises meeting with Petro

Leaders bury hatchet after year of sparring

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US President Donald Trump and his Colombian counterpart Gustavo Petro meet at the Oval Office at the White House, on Tuesday. REUTERS

(REUTERS)

Colombian President Gustavo Petro and US President Donald Trump appeared to bury the hatchet on Tuesday, after a year of sparring that culminated in threats by Mr Trump to topple the left-wing leader like in Venezuela.

“My impression of the meeting a few hours ago is first and foremost that it was positive,’ Mr Petro told reporters after meeting Mr Trump at the White House behind closed doors.

Mr Trump said he “got along very well” with the leader whom he recently accused of pumping cocaine into the United States and had warned to “watch his ass” after the fall of Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro.

“He and I weren't exactly the best of friends, but I wasn’t insulted because I never met him. I didn’t know him at all, and we got along very well,” said Mr Trump at the White House, hours after talks ended.

Mr Trump said the two countries were “working on” anti-drug trafficking cooperation, and also on lifting US sanctions the Republican had placed on the South American country.