
For more than two decades, Colombia has worked to shed its international reputation as a country defined by drug trafficking and violence. Despite significant security advances during previous administrations, sound macroeconomic policies, and large-scale international development projects, the country has positioned itself as a regional leader and an attractive destination for tourism and foreign investment. However, recent diplomatic tensions between Washington and Bogotá now threaten to undo much of this progress.
Laura Sarabia, the newly appointed Foreign Minister, faces the daunting task of repairing strained relations with the United States. Her tenure begins amid heightened screening of Colombian travelers in U.S. airports and a State Department advisory discouraging travel to Colombia. These developments follow a heated exchange between Colombian President Gustavo Petro and U.S. President Donald Trump, rekindling negative stereotypes that Colombia has fought hard to overcome.
The latest crisis erupted after President Petro condemned the forced return of roughly 200 Colombians deported from the U.S. Many had no criminal records, yet Trump labeled them as “drug traffickers, murderers, and rapists” during a speech in Washington. His remarks, consistent with his hardline immigration stance, risk reinforcing the outdated and damaging perception that Colombian migrants are criminals.
Petro’s response was swift and controversial, likening Trump’s immigration policies to Germany in 1933 and warning of history repeating itself. The diplomatic fallout was immediate: the U.S. suspended visa services at its Embassy in Bogotá, has enacted tough screening proceedures at U.S entry points for Colombians, as well as hinted at economic sanctions on all Colombian exports.
As tensions escalated, the clash was not only dominating social media, where President Petro took to Elon Musk’s platform X (formerly Twitter) to denounce Trump’s remarks. His online exchanges with U.S. officials further inflamed the situation, leading to calls from conservative U.S. lawmakers to reassess Colombia’s standing as a strategic ally.
In the aftermath of the X controversy, Petro hinted that he may abandon the social media platform altogether, arguing that it has become an arena for toxic discourse. The Colombian president has long used X as a direct channel to communicate with the public and challenge the country’s traditional media outlets. However, his online click-farms – bodegas – bear responsibility in fueling fake news narratives, and lambasting foreign leadership. With Petro’s paid online influencers directing the discourse of Colombia’s international relations, Sarabia’s most immeditate task is keeping tabs on doomed digital diplomacy.
If Petro follows through on his threat to leave the platform, it could signal a shift in how his embattled administration engages with global audiences, though it remains unclear whether such a move would temper or exacerbate tensions with Washington during his last 16-months in office.
Sarabia steps into her role at a critical moment. A close confidante of Petro, she has held key government positions, including Chief of Staff and Director of the Department of Social Prosperity. Now, she must not only defuse tensions but also prevent further damage to Colombia’s global standing.
In her initial diplomatic efforts, Sarabia has reached out to former Colombian presidents, including former conservative leader Álvaro Uribe, and engaged with U.S. policymakers such as Marco Rubio and Mauricio Claver-Carone, guided by former Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo. But restoring trust will require more than outreach – it will demand bridging polarization among Colombian politicians to align Colombia’s commitments on trade, security, and migration with the U.S. and its other allies.
Colombia’s image has transformed dramatically since the days of Pablo Escobar and the drug wars. Cities like Medellín, once synonymous with cartel violence, are now hubs of innovation and technology. Tourism has flourished, and U.S. investment has expanded beyond oil and mining. But with Washington hardening its stance and travel warnings circulating, there is a real risk of regression – impacting economic opportunities for U.S. interests in Colombia and millions of Colombians abroad. The tourism sector, from airline connectivity, to hospitality on both sides of the Caribbean could suffer.
The geopolitical implications of this fallout extend beyond Colombia and the U.S. A further breakdown in relations could weaken security cooperation efforts, including intelligence sharing on drug cartels, migration flows, and organized crime networks. The potential economic ramifications are also significant, as the U.S. remains Colombia’s largest trading partner. If tensions escalate into a full-fledged diplomatic rift, Sarabia will need to work swiftly to reassure investors and maintain Colombia’s economic stability.
Beyond the immediate crisis, Sarabia’s long-term challenge will be shifting the conversation from social media confrontation to collaboration. The U.S. and Colombia have historically shared common goals in fighting organized crime, expanding economic ties, and promoting regional stability. Whether she can reset relations and steer diplomacy away from online rhetoric will be the ultimate test of her leadership – and of Colombia’s ability to sustain the hard-earned progress of the past two decades.