Trump issues a sharp warning to Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro after a US operation against Venezuela’s leadership deepens regional tensions and prompts accusations of a sovereignty breach.
US President Donald Trump said Saturday that his Colombian counterpart Gustavo Petro – with whom he has sparred in recent months – should “watch his ass” after the US military operation to seize Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.
“He’s making cocaine and they’re sending it into the United States, so he does have to watch his ass,” Trump told a press conference.
Petro described Washington’s actions as an “assault on the sovereignty” of Latin America and said they would result in a humanitarian crisis.
Trump and Petro have been locked in a months-long dispute as the administration steps up pressure on Colombia, including threats by Trump of military action and the imposition of sanctions on the president and his family.
Reacting earlier on Saturday to U.S. action in Venezuela, Colombian President Gustavo Petro said his government was “deeply concerned” by reports of explosions and unusual aerial activity in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in recent hours, warning that these developments have heightened regional tensions.
He said Colombia remains fully committed to the principles of the United Nations Charter, including respect for state sovereignty and territorial integrity, the rejection of the use or threat of force, and the peaceful resolution of international disputes. Petro added that the Colombian government opposes any unilateral military action that could worsen the situation or endanger civilians.
Earlier today, US hit Venezuela with a “large-scale strike” early Saturday and said President Nicolás Maduro and his wife were captured and flown out of the country after months of stepped-up pressure by Washington. President Donald Trump insisted the U.S. government would run the country at least temporarily and was already doing so.
End of Article
