Colombian president invites Venezuela to jointly combat armed drug traffickers

BOGOTA, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Colombian President Gustavo Petro said Friday that he has invited Venezuela's acting president Delcy Rodriguez to work together in combating armed drug traffickers.

In a post on X, Petro said armed drug traffickers must be disarmed and their power must be reduced. Latin America must defend itself against any force that destabilizes the region, a task that requires unity among the peoples, armed forces and states in the region, he said.

On Wednesday, Petro held a phone conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump, during which they exchanged views on bilateral relations, the fight against drug trafficking and the situation in Venezuela.

Local media reported that Colombian Interior Minister Armando Benedetti said Thursday the Colombian and U.S. heads of state have agreed to jointly combat the anti-government guerrilla group National Liberation Army. ■