In a stunning about-face, Colombia’s leftist President Gustavo Petro reportedly issued a private apology to President Donald Trump after previously launching an unhinged public tirade accusing the U.S. president and Secretary of State Marco Rubio of “plotting” to oust him from office. The walk-back marks a clear admission of overreach by Petro, whose baseless claims smacked more of political theater than diplomacy.
In a confidential letter to President Trump, Colombian President Gustavo Petro acknowledged that some of his past remarks may have been perceived as overly severe. The apology followed Petro’s public, unsubstantiated claim that Rubio had collaborated with an unnamed far-right Colombian figure in an alleged plot to remove him from office. His accusations, offered without evidence, were quickly echoed by Venezuelan socialist leader Nicolás Maduro, who also took shots at Rubio.
"My concern has always been to warn about destabilizing dynamics affecting our region, often driven by diverse actors with conflicting interests. In this context, I recognize that some of my words may have been perceived as unnecessarily harsh,” the letter reportedly read. “In the interest of dialogue, I want to say that my intention is not to close doors, but to open paths for honest and respectful conversation between our countries."
The Colombian President, a former member of the Marxist M19 terrorist group, reportedly clarified that his remarks were not meant to personally accuse anyone or imply U.S. involvement in a supposed coup attempt without evidence. He stated that if his comments were interpreted that way, it was not his intention to directly blame any individual or unfairly question the role of the United States.
The State Department allegedly started pulling U.S. visas from members of the Colombian government who had any past ties to the Marxist M19 terrorist group. In response, President Petro claimed in April that his own visa had been revoked, but dismissed it, saying it didn’t matter to him since he had "already seen Donald Duck plenty of times."
In the letter, Petro reportedly went on to voice concern about “public suggestions” that the assassination attempt on conservative Senator Miguel Uribe earlier this year was fueled by inflammatory language coming from his administration. Around the same time, Rubio criticized the attack on social media, calling it “the result of the violent leftist rhetoric coming from the highest levels of the Colombian government.”
"That said, I believe it is time to turn the page on misunderstandings and look forward. The hemispheric challenges we face demand cooperation, not recriminations," the letter continued. "This is not a call to confrontation, but to shared responsibility. History is watching us."
On Monday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked whether President Trump had seen the letter. She responded that she wasn’t certain but said she would check with both the President and the National Security Council.