Magic realism is defined as what happens when a highly detailed, realistic setting is invaded by something too strange to believe. There is a reason magic realism was born in Colombia.
The opening lines of the Netflix show Narcos are oddly prophetic, a homage to the great Gabriel Garcia Marquez who is considered the pioneer of the literary device known as magic realism. Of course, Donald Trump, a reality TV host who marches to his own drum is a genre of magic realism on his own but what’s remarkable is his last tussle with Colombian President Gustavo Petro has a connection with the most well-known Colombian export other than cocaine: Pablo Escobar.
Or to make it simpler: How Gustavo Petro, connects Donald Trump to Pablo Escobar?
Petro vs. Trump: A Collision of Realities
In early 2025, the sparks flew between Donald Trump and Gustavo Petro in a spat that started over deportation flights. Trump demanded that planes carrying deported Colombians land in Bogotá. Petro refused, citing the need for deportees to return with dignity on civilian flights, not as prisoners.
In true Trumpian fashion, the former real-estate mogul and reality TV star retaliated. He slapped a 25% tariff on Colombian goods, threatened additional sanctions, and even hinted at visa restrictions. Petro, no stranger to facing down international pressure, eventually relented—offering to use Colombia’s presidential plane to handle deportations. Trump declared victory, but Petro’s defiance left its mark, reminding the world of Colombia’s enduring struggle for sovereignty in the face of US dominance.
What might seem like an ordinary diplomatic tussle was anything but, especially when placed in the historical context of Colombia’s relationship with the US and the legacy of Pablo Escobar.
Petro, M-19, and Escobar’s Ghost
Before he became Colombia’s first leftist president, Gustavo Petro was part of M-19, a guerrilla movement known for its audacious, almost theatrical acts of rebellion. M-19 was born in the 1970s in response to electoral fraud and grew into one of Colombia’s most infamous insurgent groups. Petro’s involvement, though more ideological than militant, placed him at the heart of a movement that sought to upend Colombia’s establishment.
M-19’s defining moment came in 1985, when its fighters stormed the Palace of Justice in Bogotá. They took Supreme Court justices hostage, ostensibly to hold a symbolic trial against the government. The Colombian military’s brutal response left the palace in ruins and dozens dead, including 11 Supreme Court justices.
The siege remains one of Colombia’s darkest chapters, but it’s shrouded in even darker allegations. Rumours persist that Pablo Escobar, the notorious drug lord, financed the operation. The scene is depicted beautifully in the Netflix show Narcos.
His motive? To destroy extradition documents and eliminate justices who supported Colombia’s extradition treaty with the US Escobar’s paranoia about extradition to the US was legendary, and he was willing to go to any lengths to prevent it.
While Petro was not involved in the siege (and was in jail at this time), his association with M-19 places him in the same historical timeline where Escobar’s influence was at its peak. It’s a strange, almost surreal connection—one where the paths of a guerrilla movement, a drug kingpin, and Colombia’s future president intersect.
Guerilla to Government
Gustavo Petro’s transformation from guerrilla fighter to Colombia’s first leftist president is a story of political reinvention that mirrors Colombia’s own tumultuous journey. Born in 1960 in Ciénaga de Oro, Petro’s early years were marked by a deep awareness of the inequality and corruption that defined much of Colombian society. At just 17, Petro joined the M-19 guerrilla movement, an urban leftist group formed in response to alleged electoral fraud in the 1970 presidential election. Unlike the rural insurgencies of groups like the FARC, M-19 gained notoriety for high-profile symbolic actions, including the theft of Simón Bolívar’s sword and the infamous Palace of Justice siege in 1985. Petro’s role was less combative; he focused on political organization and was arrested in the mid-1980s, spending 18 months in prison.
Petro’s life took a decisive turn after M-19 negotiated peace with the Colombian government in 1990, disarmed, and transitioned into a political party. As a new chapter opened, Petro embraced the democratic process with the same fervor he once reserved for insurgency. Elected to the House of Representatives in 1991, he quickly gained a reputation as a fearless reformer, using his platform to expose corruption, paramilitary influence, and human rights abuses. His uncompromising approach earned him both admiration and enemies, a dynamic that would follow him throughout his career.
In 2006, Petro’s election to the Senate cemented his status as a national political figure. His speeches criticizing then-President Álvaro Uribe’s ties to paramilitary groups and his advocacy for social and environmental reforms struck a chord with Colombians disillusioned by the entrenched power structures. However, it wasn’t until his tenure as mayor of Bogotá from 2012 to 2015 that Petro’s vision for change was fully tested. As mayor, he introduced progressive policies such as expanding public transportation, improving waste management, and tackling inequality. Yet, his tenure was marked by clashes with political rivals and business elites, culminating in his controversial removal from office in 2013 by Colombia’s inspector general over alleged administrative failures—a decision later overturned amid public outcry.
Petro’s resilience defined his presidential ambitions. After losing bids in 2010 and 2018, he emerged victorious in 2022 with a campaign that promised a historic break from Colombia’s neoliberal past. Emphasizing social justice, environmental protection, and a transition away from oil dependence, Petro appealed to younger voters, marginalized communities, and those eager for a more inclusive future. His victory, alongside Afro-Colombian environmentalist Francia Márquez as vice president, signaled a seismic shift in Colombian politics, ending decades of right-wing dominance.
As president, Petro faces formidable challenges, including fulfilling his promises of tax reform, land redistribution, and peace negotiations with armed groups. Yet, his rise underscores a broader transformation in Latin America, where leftist leaders are reshaping the political landscape. From guerrilla to reformer to president, Gustavo Petro’s story is a testament to the power of reinvention and the enduring hope for change in the face of entrenched inequality.
Trump’s Madman Diplomacy
If Pablo Escobar was the master of narco-terrorism, Donald Trump has emerged as the modern-day maestro of geopolitical chaos. His approach to diplomacy is often likened to Richard Nixon’s “madman theory,” a strategy where unpredictability becomes a weapon. By keeping both allies and adversaries on edge, Trump forces them to make concessions or recalibrate their positions.
During his first term, Trump’s madman diplomacy was on full display, from threats of “fire and fury” against North Korea to abrupt tariff wars with China. His erratic behavior made headlines but also forced global leaders to rethink their strategies. Now, as he prepares for a second term, Trump’s gambits have become even bolder.
From pushing NATO members to commit 5% of their GDP to defense spending to reigniting debates about Greenland’s autonomy, Trump’s actions are reshaping global alliances. His influence extends beyond politics—spurring China and India toward a border resolution and even pressuring Canada to rethink its trade policies. His rhetoric, including calling Canada “America’s 51st state,” played a role in Justin Trudeau’s surprise resignation, marking a turning point in US-Canada relations.
The Triangle of Defiance
What connects Escobar, Petro, and Trump is their shared defiance of established norms. Escobar defied the Colombian and US governments with his reign of terror, Petro challenged US hegemony through political resistance, and Trump continues to rewrite the rules of diplomacy with his unpredictable style.
For Trump, the madman theory is a calculated risk. By projecting chaos, he extracts short-term gains but often undermines long-term trust. For Petro, the challenge lies in balancing Colombia’s sovereignty with the reality of US influence—a struggle that began long before his presidency, during Escobar’s war on extradition.
It’s almost poetic that this improbable triangle of figures emerges from Colombia, the birthplace of magic realism. In a land where the boundaries between reality and the surreal often blur, the stories of Trump, Petro, and Escobar feel oddly fitting. Each represents a unique blend of ambition, defiance, and theatricality—a reminder that, in Colombia, even the strangest tales are grounded in reality.
