Colombia has ordered the expulsion of Argentine diplomats from the country citing “denigrating” comments by Argentine President Javier Milei about his Colombian counterpart Gustavo Petro.
In an interview with news channel CNN, Mr Milei called President Petro a “terrorist” as well as referring to him as a “murderer” and “communist”.
“The Argentine president’s comments have deteriorated the trust of our nation, in addition to offending the dignity of President Petro, who was democratically elected,” the Colombian foreign ministry said in a statement.
In January, Colombia recalled its ambassador to Argentina after similar comments from President Milei who described Mr Petro as a “murderous communist who is sinking Colombia”.
Mr Petro, Colombia’s first leftist president, is a former member of the long-demobilised M-19 guerrilla movement.
Mr Milei, a Libertarian, also criticised other regional leaders in clips of the interview, including Mexico’s President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.
Relations between Argentina and Colombia were stable but have intensified under President Milei’s reign.
Last month, President Milei was warmly greeted by Pope Francis at the Vatican, having called him an “imbecile” who “promotes communism” last year.
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