Petro discusses drugs, rebels in live interviewpublished at 20:36 GMT
20:36 GMT
Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from the White House
As we wait for Colombian President Gustavo Petro’s press conference, we can bring you some of the lines from his currently live radio interview to Caracol, a Colombian news outlet.
Much of the interview, so far, has focused on security issues and Venezuela, with whom Colombia shares a a 1,367 mile (2,200km) border.
Much of that border is under the sway of the National Liberation Army, or ELN, a Colombian guerrilla group.
Ahead of today’s visit, many predicted that operations against the ELN would form a major part of the discussion – and Petro has once again vowed to combat the group.
Petro is also touting his government’s own efforts to fight drug trafficking organisations, as well as coca cultivation.
“Trump is conscious of that,” he said. “That’s why drug trafficking is fleeing south [to Ecuador]….we want to propose to the US and Ecuador we can destroy drug trafficking there.”
According to Petro, he also provided intelligence showing that known Colombian drug traffickers are living abroad, including in the US.