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Colombian President, Gustavo Petro, is embarking on a critical journey to the US capital to confer with American leader Donald Trump. This marks the initial face-to-face meeting between the two figures following months of escalating strains and sharp exchanges.

Topics for Discussion

Venezuela, drug trafficking, energy, security, and American military actions on alleged drug vessels are set to be high on the agenda when they gather at the White House on the scheduled day.

A History of Tensions

While the two men were polite in a telephone conversation after a recent American action, Petro has since stated he believes there is a "real threat" of armed intervention targeting Colombia. Trump, for his part, has previously commented that a such action in Colombia "sounds good".

The upcoming meeting follows an extended period of the two leaders trading barbs. Petro has repeatedly condemned ongoing US attacks on suspected drugs boats in the Caribbean and Pacific, as well as the White House's immigration policies.

"His stance shifted," the US President was quoted as stating prior to the Washington talks.

Points of Contention

From Washington's perspective, Trump has accused Petro's government of not taking sufficient action to halt the trafficking of cocaine toward the United States, and has pledged to extend military actions to terrestrial objectives across the region.

However, the acrimony seemed to dissipate after a "polite" telephone conversation involving the two leaders, which a Colombian official later described as an 180-degree turn "by both parties".

Diplomatic Bridge

Per diplomatic sources, a key figure – US Senator Rand Paul – was instrumental in facilitating the conversation. "I have faith in negotiation and I thought our ties were going in the wrong way," the lawmaker was quoted as saying. "My hope is for our relations to get better."

Regional Stability and the ELN

Ahead of Tuesday's meeting, officials from Bogotá stated that much of the conversation would center on mutual US and Colombian worries over stability in the neighboring country, with which Colombia has an long border.

Much of that frontier is controlled of the ELN. This armed faction, founded in the 1960s, dominates narco-trade, extortion, smuggling, and illegal mining in border states and allegedly works with corrupt elements within the Caracas administration.

From the US perspective, tackling the threat of the ELN will be vital to ensuring security for US firms engaged in Venezuela's energy sector. Experts note that the ELN has the potential to disrupt economic ambitions by targeting international businesses and staff, as it has in the past attempted in Colombia.

Drug War Cooperation

An similarly urgent matter for the two leaders will be the struggle against drug trafficking from Colombia, the global biggest producer of the drug. Earlier this year, Petro ordered a halt on intelligence sharing with US authorities after comments from Washington.

The US has, conversely, officially listed Colombia as a country that has "demonstrably failed" in combating drug trafficking. It has also imposed restrictions on figures in Petro's government, including the leader and members of his family.

"There is no fight without Colombia," stated a analyst. "Any move to sever Colombian cooperation could also undermine all investigations."

Potential Outcomes

But even with several issues for cooperation, the potential for a confrontation exists. "Trump loves you one day, dislikes you the next day," observed a ex-official. "My suspicion is that Petro will walk in with some offers to avoid Trump's ire... But one never knows."

But for Petro, even a difficult meeting could be advantageous. His presidential term ends soon, and the outcome of the meeting could impact the electoral chances of his chosen candidate.

"In some ways, he's kind of in a win-win position," noted a Latin American studies professor. "If it goes well takes the air out of criticism... If talks sour, he's protecting Colombian interests. He could use that in his favour."