On Sunday, Colombian President Gustavo Petro landed in New York to begin his visit to the United States, where he will meet with the U.S. President Joe Biden on April 20.
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The meeting will take place at the White House in Washington D.C, where Petro and Biden will discuss issues of bilateral importance such as the fight against drugs, the peace process in Colombia, migration to the United States, investment opportunities, and climate change.
During his dialogue with Biden, Petro will have the opportunity to explain his policy of "Total Peace," which implies a radical change in the treatment of the war on drugs that has been carried out for decades.
"The war on drugs has failed. The fight against the climate crisis has failed," the Colombian President said during his last speech at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
"Forty years the war on drugs has lasted. If we don't correct course, and that war continues for another 40 years, the U.S. will see 2,800,000 young people die of fentanyl overdoses," Petro added.
The tweet reads, “'Colombia's peace has to do with a change in US policy,' President Gustavo Petro assured before taking off for New York. The change of focus in the fight against drugs and climate change will be the main topics of the meeting."
Mauricio Jaramillo, an International Studies professor at the Rosario University, noted that Petro is the first Colombian president who dared to say explicitly that the U.S. anti-drug policy has been a resounding failure.
"Petro has obligations and the United States knows that the Colombians elected him for a change," said Jaramillo, who considers that the U.S. is under strong pressure to change its approach in the fight against drugs, although Washington does not always agree with everything that is raised from Colombia.
In addition to the meeting with Biden, the Colombian President will participate in a United Nations forum on the rights of Indigenous peoples. He will also hold meetings with U.S. congressmen and will participate in the Organization of American States (OAS).