Petro lands in Havana for final official trip, meets Cuban president

Colombian President Gustavo Petro arrived in Havana on Friday for a bilateral meeting with his Cuban counterpart, Miguel Díaz-Canel, marking his last official international trip before handing over power. The presidential plane landed at Havana's José Martí International Airport, where Petro was received by Cuba's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Josefina Vidal.

Petro publicly explained his choice of Cuba for his final international itinerary, stating on social media that "aggrieved Cuba" is "vital for national sovereignty and the struggle for life in the Caribbean." The Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in an institutional statement, highlighted that the visit would be an opportunity to "reaffirm common commitment to Latin American and Caribbean integration, peace, multilateralism, and sustainable development," underscoring mutual cooperation ties.

The agenda in Havana included a floral tribute at the memorial of Cuban hero José Martí before the working meeting with Díaz-Canel at the Palace of the Revolution. Diplomatic sources indicated that neither head of state would hold press conferences after the meeting, with Petro scheduled to return to Colombia on Saturday morning.

During Petro's presidency, Bogotá and Havana solidified a close political alliance. Cuba hosted and guaranteed peace talks between the Colombian government and the National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrilla group. In turn, Petro's administration actively advocated for the lifting of international economic sanctions against Cuba and dispatched humanitarian aid shipments to the island.