Following the announcement of Nicolas Maduro’s arrest, President Donald Trump issued a series of strong warnings to the Colombian President and the Cuban government, while also expressing his ‘frustration’ with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
President Trump directly addressed Colombian President Gustavo Petro, with whom he has clashed repeatedly in recent months. He stated that Petro is “making cocaine and sending it to the United States, so he needs to be careful.” Petro had previously condemned the U.S. action in Venezuela, calling for an immediate meeting of the Organization of American States and the United Nations to address the “legitimacy of this aggression.”
The U.S. President also turned his attention to Cuba, a long-time adversary of the United States. “Cuba is a subject we will be talking about eventually,” Trump stated. He told reporters that Havana could become a topic of discussion as part of the broader U.S. policy in the region, suggesting that Washington might expand its focus beyond Caracas amidst escalating tensions in Latin America.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking at the press conference announcing Maduro’s arrest, added that the Cuban government should be concerned. “If I lived in Havana and was a member of the government, I would be at least a little worried,” Rubio said, adding that “Cuba is a disaster and is run by incompetent and senile men.”
Regarding Russia, Trump stated, “I am not happy with Putin, he is killing a lot of people,” in his latest remarks concerning the Russian President. Trump indicated that he is frustrated with Putin due to the ongoing war in Ukraine.
President Trump announced Maduro’s arrest earlier today, stating that it occurred during a U.S. operation targeting Maduro’s residence in Venezuela. He added that Maduro is being transported to New York to face trial in a U.S. court.
