Overview
- Gustavo Petro met Cuban President Miguel Díaz‑Canel at the Palacio de la Revolución on Friday and publicly rejected “missiles, invasion or blockade” as responses to the island’s crisis.
- Díaz‑Canel accused the United States of imposing an economic and energy blockade that he called an attempt at genocide and said Cuba has faced severe fuel shortages in recent months.
- Petro praised Cuba’s contributions to Colombia and the world, citing its medical training for thousands of foreign students and its role hosting the peace talks that helped secure the 2016 FARC agreement.
- President‑elect Abelardo de la Espriella has announced he will close Colombia’s embassy in Havana and cut diplomatic ties when he takes office on August 7.
- The coming policy reversal risks disrupting medical cooperation and peace‑process links between Bogotá and Havana and would align Colombia more closely with U.S. pressure on Cuba, changing regional diplomatic dynamics.