A report from a United Nations agency said the number of Colombia's lands with coca plants from which cocaine is made was at its highest level in 20 years last year.
The government of Colombia announced that it will restart peace talks with the armed rebel group National Liberation Army (ELN) that was suspended in 2018.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who visited Colombia for the first time, expressed support to President Gustavo Petro's new, "holistic" approach in solving the country's drug problem.
Colombia's President Gustavo Petro and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed enhancing drug interception at sea and more intelligence sharing on drug trafficking.
Russian President Vladimir Putin described Colombia as a "promising partner of Russia in Latin America," adding that his country is interested in maintaining friendly relations with Colombians.
Colombia will be conducting peace talks with the ELN rebel group, and Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro said his government will act as a "guarantor" between the two sides.
Even though a former leftist rebel is now sitting as the duly-elected president of Colombia, the country still has rebellions going all around. Now, the country has suffered its deadliest ambush since former rebel Gustavo Petro came into office.
The new leftist government of Colombia is planning an overhaul of the policy concerning illegal drugs but said this will not include legalizing cocaine.
Colombia President Gustavo Petro and his wife, Veronica Alcocer, had been together for almost 20 years. Get to know the new first lady of the Andean country.
Colombia's new president Gustavo Petro has issued calls for a new strategy when addressing the drug trafficking issue in the country, adding that the war on drugs was a failure.
Former rebel Gustavo Petro has triumphed over millionaire real estate mogul Rodolfo Hernández during Colombia elections, taking 50.47% of the votes, according to the South American country's election authorities.
As Colombia presidential election 2022 nears, polls are suggesting that former rebel Gustavo Petro is seen to be the favorite to win in May after he secured the nomination of the left-wing Historic Pact Coalition.