BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — The U.S. State Department has made the decision to recall its top diplomat in Colombia, John McNamara, for “urgent consultations” following recent comments made by Colombia’s president that seemed to challenge the U.S. stance on an alleged plot to oust him from power. In response, Colombian President Gustavo Petro has also chosen to recall Colombia’s ambassador to Washington for discussions regarding the country’s priorities in the bilateral relationship.
The State Department expressed deep concern over what it termed as “baseless and reprehensible statements from the highest levels of the government of Colombia.” The administration mentioned that apart from McNamara’s recall, there would be additional actions taken to address the current state of the bilateral relationship, though specifics were not provided.
Petro has been dealing with reports this week of a purported attempt by current or former members of his administration to force him out of office. The Colombian Attorney General’s Office has launched an investigation into an alleged plan attributed to Petro’s former Foreign Affairs Minister Álvaro Leyva. Recordings published by a Spanish newspaper over the weekend suggested the existence of such a scheme, with Leyva reportedly seeking support from U.S. lawmakers to pressure Petro internationally.
In response, Petro has labeled the situation as an attempted coup and called for the U.S. justice system to intervene. He referenced past incidents where he claimed to have received assistance from the previous U.S. administration when his life was threatened. Petro concluded his remarks by emphasizing his commitment to Bolivar’s principles and the resilience of the Colombian people.
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