Colombia looks to turn new page with US after ‘coup’ allegations

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By Luis Jaime Acosta

BOGOTA (Reuters) -Colombia’s ambassador to the U.S. returned to Washington on Tuesday, appearing to take a conciliatory tone after a diplomatic tussle over allegations of Republican leaders’ involvement in the Latin American nation’s domestic affairs.

“Neither the Secretary of State Marco Rubio, nor the government of the United States, play any role in a coup attempt against the state or an attempt to destabilize the country,” Colombian Ambassador to the U.S. Daniel Garcia Pena told journalists.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro had accused Rubio last month of being involved in a right-wing alliance to topple his leftist administration, without providing evidence.

Both nations then recalled their top diplomats to the other country for consultations.

Petro appeared to backtrack after his comments, sending a letter to U.S. President Donald Trump on June 23 that was made public by Colombian media on Monday.

“I recognize that some of my words may have been perceived as unnecessarily harsh,” Petro wrote. “It’s not my intention to close doors, but to open a path to an honest and respectful conversation between our countries.”

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Monday that she could not confirm whether Trump had read the letter.

The U.S. charge d’affaires ad interim in Colombia, John McNamara, is set to return to Bogota in the coming hours, Colombian government sources told Reuters.

Last month, newspaper El Pais published a report citing leaked audios alleging that former Foreign Minister Alvaro Leyva had attempted to meet with Rubio to propose removing Petro from office. Leyva was unsuccessful, El Pais reported.

The former official has since left Colombia and is now under investigation.

(Reporting by Luis Jaime Acosta; Writing by Kylie Madry; Editing by Chris Reese and Sam Holmes)