Colombia’s Gustavo Petro to Visit Caracas on April 24; Will Sue Ecuador’s Noboa for Defamation

Caracas (OrinocoTribune.com)—On Friday, Colombian President Gustavo Petro confirmed that he will travel to Caracas on April 24 to meet with Venezuela’s Acting President Delcy Rodríguez.

“If Muhammad will not come to me, I will go to the mountain. Then, I will go to Caracas,” he said during his appearance on Spain’s RTVE and EFE morning show.

🚨 Presidente Petro anuncia visita a Caracas

🔴 El presidente de Colombia, Gustavo Petro, confirmó en una entrevista a la agencia EFE que visitará Caracas el próximo 24 de abril. Petro señaló su determinación de establecer contacto con Venezuela y afirmó que ha viajado a la… pic.twitter.com/YLq8orQdMC

— teleSUR TV (@teleSURtv) April 17, 2026

The leaders had planned to meet on March 13 at the Atanasio Girardot International Bridge on the shared Venezuela-Colombia border to discuss drug trafficking, the purchase of Venezuelan gas, and other cooperation issues. However, the meeting was canceled.

Tension with Ecuador’s Noboa
On Sunday, President Petro also announced that he will file a criminal lawsuit against his Ecuadorian counterpart, Daniel Noboa, for the alleged crime of defamation.

Tensions escalated after Noboa claimed that Petro had met with members of the Citizen Revolution (Rafael Correa’s party) who allegedly have ties to José Adolfo Macías Villamar, alias “Fito,” the leader of the criminal organization “Los Choneros.” Noboa claims this meeting took place while Petro stayed in Manta, Ecuador, during the 2025 presidential inauguration.

Petro categorically repudiated these claims, clarifying that his stay in Manta was a simple retreat to work on writing a book and that he was under 24/7 surveillance.

“My safety in Manta was guaranteed by the Ecuadorian Army itself, at the behest of President Noboa. I do not know if going anywhere in Ecuador implies suspicion of shady dealings,” the Colombian president questioned.

Alias “Fito” accepts extradition
While the political dispute between Ecuador and Colombia intensifies, the legal front against organized crime has taken a decisive step forward. On Friday, alias “Fito,” Ecuador’s most wanted criminal, agreed to be extradited to the US during a hearing before the National Court of Justice.

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The drug trafficker, captured on June 25 after a year and a half on the run, responded with a resounding “Yes, I accept” to Judge José Suing’s question regarding his extradition to the US. In the US, “Fito” faces serious charges for conspiracy to distribute cocaine internationally.

Special for Orinoco Tribune by staff
OT/JRE/SF