BOGOTA, March 12 (Reuters) - Colombia's President Gustavo Petro and his U.S. counterpart President Donald Trump spoke on the phone on Thursday, Petro's office said on X, ahead of Petro's meeting with Venezuela's acting President Delcy Rodriguez.
The two men discussed the economy along the Colombia-Venezuela border, which is expected to be the top topic at the Petro-Rodriguez meeting on Friday, the statement said, and Trump said Petro, who he sanctioned last year, is welcome in the U.S. and apologized
for not inviting the Colombian leader to a meeting in Miami last week with other Latin American heads of state.
Petro and Trump have had repeated squabbles, though the two men were each positive after a face-to-face meeting in Washington last month.
Trump has repeatedly demanded more cooperation from Colombia in the fight against drug trafficking and has accused Petro, without evidence, of being an "illegal drug leader". Petro meanwhile, claims record drug seizures during his tenure and has said deadly strikes on alleged drug boats amount to war crimes.
"During the call, the two leaders discussed energy issues, hydrocarbons, security, illicit crops, eradication efforts and the joint fight against drug trafficking. They also talked about economic reactivation along the border and other matters of bilateral interest," the statement said.
"In the course of the conversation, the Colombian president extended an invitation to his U.S. counterpart to visit Cartagena, which was warmly received. President Trump, in turn, reiterated that President Petro will always be welcome in the United States and expressed apologies for any previous inconvenience related to an invitation to Miami," the statement said, adding Trump wished Petro success in his meeting with Rodriguez.
The Rodriguez-Petro bilateral is Rodriguez's first presidential-level in-person meeting since she took power following her predecessor's ouster by the United States. Trump has supported a series of moves by Rodriguez, formerly vice president, to attract investors in oil and mining and stabilize the country since the January raid that captured President Nicolas Maduro, with Trump repeatedly praising Rodriguez for her cooperation with the U.S.
(Reporting by Julia Symmes Cobb)
