Investing.com -- Colombia’s Foreign Minister, Laura Sarabia, is working to restore diplomatic relations with the United States, following a recent tariff war sparked by President Gustavo Petro’s social media post. Sarabia, who was appointed by Petro as the country’s top diplomat just a week before the dispute with US President Donald Trump, expressed her intent to mend ties in a recent interview.

Sarabia emphasized the importance of diplomacy and established channels in maintaining Colombia’s relationship with the US, its primary trading partner and key ally in the region. She stated, "We need to bet on diplomacy and on established channels, putting our historic relations on the table and not basing it on megaphone diplomacy." Sarabia, during her 45-minute conversation with Bloomberg News at her Bogota office, described the relationship between the two nations as one "built on trust and permanent dialogue."

As part of this diplomatic effort, the US homeland security chief is scheduled to visit Colombia later this month to discuss issues of drug trafficking and migration. These topics have been used by President Trump to justify imposing 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada. Petro’s initial refusal to accept deportation flights due to concerns over migrant treatment threatened to put Colombia under similar economic strain.

While Sarabia stressed the importance of maintaining a strong relationship with the US, she also revealed that the Colombian government is exploring opportunities to expand its global reach. This includes potential collaborations with Persian Gulf states such as Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, which Petro recently visited. The government is also considering strengthening ties with Indo-Pacific nations, and possibly expanding its established relationship with China.

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