Petro Bids Farewell to Pope Leo XIV Without Achieving Total Peace in Colombia - EUROPE SAYS
President Gustavo Petro and Pope Leo XIV met at the Vatican, where they discussed peace inColombiaand Latin America. Credit: Vatican News / Presidency of Colombia. The meeting between Colombian President. . .
President Gustavo Petro and Pope Leo XIV met at the Vatican, where they discussed peace inColombiaand Latin America. Credit: Vatican News / Presidency of Colombia. The meeting between Colombian President Gustavo Petro and Pope Leo XIV marked one of the Colombian leader’s last high-level diplomatic engagements before the end of his term on August 7. The meeting took place this Thursday at the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace in Rome, where the two held a private audience focused on the situation in Colombia and the main challenges facing Latin America in terms of peace, social justice, and regional stability. The meeting occurred amid Colombia’s political transition and reaffirmed the channel of dialogue that the government has maintained with the Holy See over the past several years. The meeting also carried strong symbolic significance. Petro arrived at the Vatican just days after beginning a diplomatic tour of Italy and, as in his previous meeting with Leo XIV in May 2025, sought the Catholic Church’s moral support for several issues he considers priorities on the national agenda. The Presidency had previously indicated that the audience would serve to address issues related to peace, reconciliation, the protection of life, and the construction of a more equitable society, goals that ultimately occupied much of the conversation between the two leaders. Petro bids farewell to pope Leo XIV without achieving Total Peace in ColombiaFollowing the meeting, the Presidency confirmed thatPetroand the pontiff held extensive discussions about Colombia’s political and social reality, as well as the challenges facing Latin America at a time of growing polarization, violence, and inequality. The president emphasized the need to strengthen peace processes and consolidate mechanisms that can reduce the violence that still affects several regions of the country. The president also highlighted the importance of the international community maintaining its attention on the social and humanitarian conflicts affecting various Latin American countries. The conversation included reflections on migration, the protection of the most vulnerable sectors, and the strengthening of dialogue as a tool for resolving political differences. For the Vatican, these meetings are part of an ongoing strategy of dialogue with governments across the region, particularly on issues related to peace, human dignity, and the defense of fundamental rights. The Holy See has historically played an active role as a facilitator in reconciliation processes and has supported various peace initiatives in Colombia over several decades. One of the central topics of the audience was the security situation in Colombia and the challenges the country faces in consolidating peace agreements and reducing violence in rural areas. Petro explained to the pope the difficulties arising from the presence of illegal armed groups and the threats facing peasant, Indigenous, and Afro-descendant communities. In the days leading up to the trip, the president had expressed his interest in seeking the Catholic Church’s support regarding the situation faced by beneficiaries of agrarian reform programs and social leaders. The government’s intention was to strengthen an international support network that would help protect communities most exposed to violence. The issue is particularly relevant because of the recognition the Church continues to hold in many regions of the country, where priests and religious organizations have for years participated in mediation initiatives, humanitarian assistance, and the defense of victims of the armed conflict. Today’s meeting is the second between the pope and Gustavo Petro in the less than 14 months of Pope Leon XIV’s pontificate. Credit: Vatican News / Presidency of Colombia. A relationship strengthened during the pontificate of Leo XIVThis Thursday’s audience was the second official meeting between Gustavo Petro and Pope Leo XIV since the pontiff assumed leadership of the Catholic Church a little over a year ago. The two had alreadymet in May 2025, shortly after the new pope’s enthronement, in a conversation focused on relations between Colombia and the Holy See, as well as issues such as security, migration, and climate change. During that audience, Petro delivered a letter to the pontiff formally inviting him to visit Colombia. The occasion would mark the 190th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Colombia and the Holy See. The document, signed by the president, framed the invitation within the government’s efforts to advance its Total Peace policy, aimed at resolving internal armed conflicts through dialogue and reconciliation. “Holy Father, Colombia is grateful for the Holy See’s constant support of our peace efforts, and just as we once shared Pope Francis’ call for the rebirth of a global desire for fraternity among all people, today we join your call to build bridges of dialogue toward peace, charity, and support for the most vulnerable,” the letter delivered by the Colombian president states. Since then, communication between both parties has remained open through the usual diplomatic channels. The Colombian government has repeatedly expressed its interest in continuing to strengthen its relationship with the Vatican and promoting greater cooperation on social and humanitarian issues. After meeting with the pope, Gustavo Petro visited the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican. Credit: Juan Diego Cano / Presidency of Colombia. Petro’s agenda following his meeting with the popeFollowing his meeting withPope Leo XIV, President Petro is scheduled to hold meetings with two of the Holy See’s top diplomatic authorities: Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State, and Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States. These meetings are part of an agenda aimed at strengthening Colombia’s institutional ties with international actors committed to dialogue, peace, and social transformation, flagship projects of Gustavo Petro’s administration that could undergo significant changes under the incoming government. According to the Presidency, the visit seeks to reaffirm the country’s role in global forums dedicated to finding solutions to contemporary social and political challenges. In that regard, the government emphasized that Colombia continues to project itself on the international stage as a nation that promotes peacebuilding with justice and dignity, while also fostering understanding among different sectors and advancing social change. The Vatican agenda is taking place at a particularly significant moment in Colombian politics. The trip comes as Gustavo Petro’s government enters the final stage of its administration and the transition process toward the new executive branch moves forward. Following the results of the presidential runoff election, Abelardo de la Espriella was elected as thecountry’s next presidentand will assume office once the current term of government concludes. In that context, the visit to Rome also takes place as Colombia prepares for the transfer of power and the beginning of a new political phase under the incoming administration.