Dec 11, 2025 – President Donald Trump warns President Gustavo Petro that Colombia “produces a lot of drugs” and that he will be “next if he doesn’t wise up,” while Petro retorts on X that Trump is “a very misinformed man” and cites a record seizure of 2,700 tons of cocaine as proof of his anti‑narcotics effort[12].

Dec 19, 2025 – Petro rejects Nicolás Maduro’s request for Colombian military aid, urging a “Venezuelan‑led peaceful solution” and stressing that neither country can order the other’s army, as the plea follows heightened U.S. pressure near Venezuela[11].

2025 – UNODC reports that coca cultivation now covers an area twice the size of Greater London and four times New York, underscoring a historic expansion of Colombia’s cocaine‑producing base[1].

2025 – Defence Minister Pedro Sanchez tells reporters that Colombia destroys a cocaine lab every 40 minutes and has seized 2,800 tons (≈47 billion doses) in the past 3½ years, highlighting the scale of the counter‑narcotics campaign[1].

Jan 3, 2026 – Petro orders the deployment of troops to the Venezuelan border after U.S. strikes, calls for an emergency OAS and UN meeting to assess the legality of the U.S. action, and activates full border‑security capacities against groups such as the ELN[19].

Jan 5, 2026 – Petro posts on X that he will “take up arms again” to defend the homeland, a stark escalation after Trump calls him a “sick man who likes making cocaine” and the U.S. captures Maduro in a weekend operation[18].

Jan 5, 2026 – Interior Minister Armando Benedetti announces that Colombia will keep cooperating with the United States on drug‑trafficking interdiction, noting that nearly 1,000 metric tons of cocaine were seized in 2025 and that operations will focus on labs and the Venezuelan border[17].

Jan 8, 2026 – Trump posts that he had a “friendly” phone call with Petro and invites him to the White House, framing the exchange as a step toward resolving drug‑policy disputes after days of harsh accusations[16].

Jan 8, 2026 – Despite the public feud, U.S. DEA agents remain embedded with Colombia’s DIRAN unit, and Colombian officials report a historic 446 tons of cocaine seized this year—the highest in three decades—demonstrating the partnership’s continued impact[7].

Jan 8, 2026 – Petro shifts tone after the call, declares an “olive branch” to the United States, urges the restoration of direct government communication, and warns “if there is no dialogue, there will be war,” while thousands protest sovereignty violations[15].

Jan 9, 2026 – Petro tells the BBC that a “real threat” of U.S. military action hangs over Colombia, condemns ICE as “Nazi brigades,” and notes Trump’s earlier comment that a U.S. operation against Colombia “sounds good to me”[4].

Jan 9, 2026 – Former ambassador Juan Carlos Pinzón warns that Colombia risks becoming “another Venezuela” unless the U.S. partnership is “recovered, strengthened and updated,” and notes Trump’s remark that a Colombian operation “sounds good,” which sparks protests in Bogotá[8].

Jan 13, 2026 – The ELN publishes a statement calling for a national accord with the next Colombian government to fight poverty, protect ecosystems, and curb rural drug trafficking, while noting U.S.‑led charges against Maduro for shielding the ELN[14].

Jan 23, 2026 – Petro expresses optimism about the upcoming Feb 3 White House meeting, citing a recent phone call that eased tensions and confirming that the State Department will grant him full diplomatic guarantees for the visit[13].

Feb 3, 2026 – Petro travels to Washington for a first in‑person meeting with Trump; both leaders discuss Venezuelan gas, joint counternarcotics action, and the ELN, with Trump praising Petro as “terrific” and signaling possible sanctions relief[3].

Feb 3, 2026 – The White House meeting ends cordially after two hours; Trump calls Petro “terrific,” says they “got along very well,” and both leaders pledge cooperation on drug trafficking, Venezuelan gas exports, and a joint stance against the ELN[2].

Feb 3, 2026 – BBC journalists ride in a Black Hawk with Colombian commandos over the Putumayo district, witnessing a raid on a cocaine‑lab complex as Defence Minister Sanchez repeats that a lab is destroyed every 40 minutes and that 2,800 tons have been seized in 3½ years[1].

Feb 4, 2026 – Trump signs a $1.5 trillion spending bill that ends a three‑day shutdown, meets Petro again at the White House, declares that “states are agents of the federal government in elections,” and signals possible sanctions relief and ELN opposition while noting the DHS funding cliff[5].