The United States and Colombia recalled their ambassadors on July 3, signaling a diplomatic rift between the two nations amid an investigation into an alleged plot to oust Colombian President Gustavo Petro.
The Trump administration has recalled charge d’affaires ad interim John McNamara “for urgent consultations” due to what it called “baseless and reprehensible statements” from the “highest levels” of the Colombian government, according to a statement issued by State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce.
Bruce said the administration will pursue other measures “to make clear our deep concern over the current state of our bilateral relationship,” without providing any details on the actions taken.
The spokesperson did not specify the statements in question or elaborate on the reasons behind the recall.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed the decision on the social media platform X, noting that the two nations “will remain engaged on shared priorities, including security and stability” despite the recall.
Petro later announced on social media that his government was recalling the Colombian ambassador to the United States, Daniel Garcia-Pena, in response to Washington’s move.
Petro said the envoy was called back to discuss the progress of Colombia’s bilateral agenda with the United States, including an immigration treaty and efforts targeting drug trafficking kingpins and their international finances.
This development came after the Colombian Attorney General’s Office announced on Tuesday that it had opened an investigation into an alleged plot to overthrow Petro, following audio recordings published by Spanish newspaper El Pais last month.
The recordings allegedly captured former Foreign Affairs Minister Álvaro Leyva discussing a plan with Colombian politicians to oust Petro with the help of U.S. lawmakers. Levya has denied the allegation.
On July 2, Petro stated on X, “There is a coup caught red-handed, and it must be investigated, and the U.S. justice system should be asked to investigate.”
In a separate post he stated, “The times they’ve tried to kill me, I’ve been helped—by the previous U.S. government,” he wrote. “From now on, Bolívar’s sword continues its path of liberation, as does the energy of light, and the vibrant people. What about the U.S. government?”
Petro also faces a lawsuit filed by Colombian presidential candidate Miguel Uribe over what he described as hostile social media posts by the president.
Uribe was shot several times in the back while campaigning for the 2026 presidential elections in Bogotá, Colombia, on June 7. Police have arrested some suspects, including a 15-year-old, in connection to the attack.
Rubio condemned the shooting as a “direct threat to democracy,” saying that it was the result of “violent leftist rhetoric coming from the highest levels of the Colombian government.” He said Petro needed to tone down “inflammatory rhetoric” and ensure the safety of Colombian officials.
Alicia Marquez contributed to this report.
Aldgra Fredly
Author
Aldgra Fredly is a freelance writer covering U.S. and Asia Pacific news for The Epoch Times.
