STORY: Colombian President Gustavo Petro said on Tuesday (February 3) that his first meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington was “positive,” describing it as a conversation grounded in shared values despite political differences.

Speaking to reporters hours after the talks, Petro said the discussion began with the idea of “freedom,” referencing a portrait of Abraham Lincoln at the White House. “We can be very different civilizationally, historically,” Petro said, “but what unites us is freedom.”

Petro said Trump told him he does not believe sanctions are “rational” in this particular case, an assessment the Colombian leader said he shares.

“This is not a path of sanctions; this is a path of freedom,” Petro said, adding that the meeting showed leaders with “different powers” could still find common ground without resorting to pressure or “blackmail.” He characterized the exchange as respectful and focused on shared principles rather than personal or business interests.

In a lighter moment, Petro said Trump gave him a red “Make America Great” cap, to which he added an “S” with a marker so it read “Make the Americas Great.” Petro said the two leaders parted on friendly terms. “There is no need to box. We do not hit each other, we do not ruin each other, we smile at each other,” he said, adding that Trump told him: “I like you.”

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

VIDEO SHOWS: SOUNDBITES FROM COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT GUSTAVO PETRO AFTER MEETING U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP

EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: EDIT CONTAINS WHITE FLASHES

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (FEBRUARY 3, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT GUSTAVO PETRO WALKING TO LECTERN

2. WHITE FLASH

3. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT GUSTAVO PETRO, SAYING:

"The impression I have from a recent meeting just a few hours ago is positive. First and foremost, that is the reality."

4. WHITE FLASH

5. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT GUSTAVO PETRO, SAYING:

"Even in my first phrase, when I met President Trump for the first time in my life, because I did not know him. Looking at the photos of the presidents of the United States, Lincoln (Abraham Lincoln, the U.S. president who won the Civil War and ended slavery), was there in the picture: Freedom. We can be very different civilizationally speaking, historically speaking. But what unites us is freedom. And that is where the conversation began. You can make a pact for freedom. You can make a pact for life, life and freedom go together today. And that is what we can come together on. That was the conversation."

6. WHITE FLASH

7. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT GUSTAVO PETRO, SAYING:

"The gift he gave me, how do they call it? The red cap of his: ‘Make America Great.’ I wrote on it with a marker that was there, I added an ‘S’: ‘Make the Americas Great."

8. WHITE FLASH

9. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT GUSTAVO PETRO, SAYING:

"I told him that between free people one cannot act under blackmail: ‘Do this or else this happens.’ No. We say not even for Chivas. We do not act under blackmail. And I think the photos, and the atmosphere of the meeting, show a meeting between equals who think differently. Yes, with different powers, obviously, but capable of finding common paths. That's it. Nothing personal. He did not speak to me about his businesses, nor I about mine, which I do not have. But I did invite him to Cartagena, which is a very cool and beautiful place to be and to live."

10. WHITE FLASH

11. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT GUSTAVO PETRO, SAYING:

"I did not personally know Rubio (Secretary of State Marco Rubio). There were some people there I knew, some others, most I did not. But the conversation was with Trump. Basically that. And what Trump said in the meeting is that he does not believe in sanctions. In this particular case, he does not see them as rational. And I think he is right. It is the same thing I think. This is not a path of sanctions; this is a path of freedom."

12. WHITE FLASH

13. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT GUSTAVO PETRO, SAYING:

“I think a path is born, without falling into vanity, because you know arrogance is a bad companion and greed even worse, greed kills life. But here a path is born, or it is strengthened, because in reality it has never disappeared. It is a path where different people, different regimes, different ways of thinking, different powers because we have power too, just a different kind, can meet. There is no need to box. We do not hit each other, we do not ruin each other, we smile at each other. ‘I like you,’ he told me."

14. WHITE FLASH

15. PETRO LEAVING