Colombia recalled its ambassador to the United States today amid rising tensions between the two countries,

after U.S. military strikes took out what the Trump administration claimed were drug trafficking

boats in the Caribbean. But over the weekend, a very public spat broke out between the country's

leaders, with Gustavo Petro of Colombia accusing President Trump of murdering a Colombian

fishermen in one of those strikes and Trump calling Petro an illegal drug dealer.

Ivan Duque was the president of Colombia from 2018 to 2022 and he joins us tonight from

Bogota Colombia. President Duque, welcome to the News Hour. Thank you for joining us.

Amna, thank you so much. It's a pleasure to be here with you.

So your successor, President Petro, has now accused U.S. President Trump of murder. He also says

the U.S. is violating Colombian sovereignty with those strikes. Do you agree with those accusations?

Well, I think what Petro wants to do right now is try to use this tension in order to

influence the election that we have in 2026, that's for sure. And also he has done everything

that he has been possible or capable of doing in order to dismantle and to make fragile a bilateral relationship

that has lasted for more than 200 years and actually being Colombia recognized just a few years

ago as a major strategic ally of the United States, not permanent member of NATO, which is

the highest standard that any Latin American country has ever enjoyed with the United States. not permanent member of NATO, which is the highest standard that any Latin

American country has ever enjoyed with the United States. So I think it's reckless what Petro has

been doing. And I think the fact is also that Colombia has been working with the United States

in the Caribbean against narcotrafficking for many years with the Orion campaign. So I believe

what the United States is doing

against non-trafficking, it's well done. It's based on legal legitimacy. And I think Petro is just

trying to find an excuse in order to break a relationship that has been bipartisan, bicameral,

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