Rubio and Colombia Signed Two Papers in Barranquilla, Not a Treaty
Key Facts
- — What happened. Marco Rubio and Colombia’s foreign minister signed two memoranda in Barranquilla on 8 September.
- — What they cover. Critical minerals and rare earths in one, civil nuclear cooperation in the other.
- — The catch. Both are non-binding. Reconstruction and anti-narcotics were talked about, not signed.
- — The name. President De la Espriella called the package the Barranquilla Accords. Washington never used the phrase.
- — On a US base. Rubio said Colombia would have to ask first, and no request exists today.
- — Why it matters. An August earthquake killed 331 people and pushed reconstruction to the top of the agenda.
Colombia’s new president says a roadmap came out of the Barranquilla meeting. Two memoranda were actually signed, and neither of them is binding.
The gap between what was announced and what was signed is the story here. Both halves are real, and they are not the same size.
What Was Signed
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Colombian Foreign Minister Omar Bula Escobar signed two documents on 8 September.
The venue was the Batallón Paraíso in Barranquilla, on Colombia’s Caribbean coast. President Abelardo De la Espriella attended as a witness of honour.
He did not sign either document himself. That detail is missing from most coverage.
The first is a framework on securing supply in the mining and processing of critical minerals and rare earths.
It commits both governments to identify and finance projects within six months. The tools named include guarantees, loans, equity and offtake arrangements.
The second is a memorandum on strategic civil nuclear cooperation. It covers advanced and small modular reactors, research reactors, radioisotopes and nuclear medicine.
What Was Not Signed
Both documents are memoranda of understanding. In plain terms, they set out intentions and do not create enforceable obligations.
Post-earthquake reconstruction was discussed at length. Nothing about it was signed, and no dollar figure was committed.
What exists on reconstruction is a study. The United States will look at whether to take part, once Colombia produces a detailed recovery plan.
Security and anti-narcotics cooperation were also discussed rather than signed. The same applies to trade and tariffs.
Anyone reading that the two countries signed a package on reconstruction and security has read too much into it.
The Name Is Colombian, Not American
De la Espriella told reporters a roadmap had emerged that the two sides were calling the Barranquilla Accords.
He grouped it under three headings. Rebuild the country, recover the economy, and shield the hemisphere.
The State Department has not used the phrase. Its own release describes arrangements on critical minerals and civil nuclear cooperation.
So the name is a Colombian political coinage. It is a useful label, but it is not a treaty title.
The Question About a Military Base
Asked whether the United States would open a military base in Colombia, Rubio did not rule it out.
The best-attested version of his answer is that Colombia would have to ask Washington to do so.
Spanish-language renderings of the quote differ from each other, so we are not printing one as verbatim.
He added that no request for US troops or a base exists at present. Any decision would need a feasibility and cost analysis.
De la Espriella separately put a proposal to Rubio called Plan Patriota Siglo XXI. It asks for aircraft, radar, drones, helicopters, air defence and cyber capability.
That is a request, not an agreed programme. No US funding was announced against it.
The Line About the Last Four Years
Rubio said the last four years had been an aberration between the two governments. He was talking about the relationship.
Several reports have turned that into a description of the previous Petro government itself. The wording does not support it.
His full remark called strong alliance the natural state of things for the two countries. He said that was changing again.
He also said he hoped to build a golden age in relations. The tone was restoration rather than rupture.
The Earthquake Behind the Agenda
A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck on 10 August, with its epicentre at San José del Palmar in Chocó.
It was Colombia’s strongest since 1979. The depth was about 96 kilometres.
The official toll published on 7 September was 331 dead and 4,505 injured, with 111 still missing.
Some 466,709 people were affected across 16 departments. More than 36,000 homes were destroyed.
Early figures were far lower, at 132 and then 289 dead. Anyone citing those numbers is working from stale reports.
Two Rows Running Alongside
De la Espriella named General Jorge Andrés Zuluaga López to head the national intelligence directorate on the same day.
In 2024 the transitional justice court asked prosecutors to investigate a unit he commanded in 2004 and 2005. It is accused of profiling Patriotic Union members.
He was also removed from an army technical directorate in 2014 over an alleged illegal interception operation. No criminal charges followed, and he denied wrongdoing.
These are referrals for investigation, not convictions. That distinction is doing a lot of work here.
Separately, opposition figures published defence ministry data on the president’s use of air force helicopters.
The flights cost 1,117 million pesos, about US$358,000, over 18 days. Conversions use 3,116.47 pesos to the dollar, Colombia’s official rate for 9 September 2026.
Of 103 flights, 64 lasted under ten minutes. Most ran between Barranquilla’s airport and a football training ground.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Colombia and the United States actually sign?
Two non-binding memoranda of understanding, on critical minerals and rare earths and on civil nuclear cooperation. Reconstruction and security were discussed but not signed.
Are the Barranquilla Accords a treaty?
No. The name is a Colombian political label for a roadmap, and the State Department does not use it.
Will the United States open a military base in Colombia?
Rubio did not rule it out but said Colombia would have to ask. No such request exists at the moment.
How bad was the August earthquake?
The magnitude 7.4 quake on 10 August killed 331 people and injured 4,505, with 111 still missing. Around 466,709 people were affected.
Sources: US State Department, the signing ceremony transcript, US State Department, fact sheet on the arrangements, Infobae, De la Espriella names the accords, El Tiempo, Rubio on a possible base, Semana, Plan Patriota Siglo XXI, La República, the earthquake toll, El Tiempo, profile of the new intelligence director, Infobae, the helicopter flight costs
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