President Donald Trump has escalated his rhetoric against Colombia, Cuba, and Mexico, voicing strong criticisms of Colombian President Gustavo Petro. The remarks come amid heightened anxiety in Latin America following the U.S. operation in Venezuela that led to the arrest of President Nicolás Maduro.
Speaking aboard Air Force One, President Trump referred to President Petro as a “sick man,” adding, “He won’t be there for long.” This marks a significant escalation in his ongoing dispute with the Colombian leader, a relationship strained for months. Trump commented that “the Colombia situation looks good to me,” seemingly alluding to the recent U.S. military action in Caracas.
President Trump also targeted Mexico, asserting that the country “needs to get its act together” and suggesting, “We have to do something about Mexico.” Continuing his threats to the region, he turned his attention to Cuba, though he dismissed the need for U.S. military intervention, stating the island nation appeared to be “ready to fall on its own.”
On Saturday evening, following Maduro’s apprehension, President Trump issued stern warnings to President Petro, accusing him of “making cocaine and sending it to the United States,” cautioning him to “be careful.”
Petro Condemns Caracas Raid
President Petro, in response, condemned the U.S. operation as an “abduction” of the Venezuelan president, deeming it “without legal basis.” He further stated that the U.S. bombing of a South American capital was a “terrible stain” that generations of the continent’s inhabitants would never forget, a clear reference to the targeting of Caracas. He emphasized that the United States is the first nation in history to bomb a South American capital. President Petro highlighted that figures like former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Nazi leader Adolf Hitler, Spanish dictator Francisco Franco, and former Portuguese Prime Minister António de Oliveira Salazar had not taken such actions.
He concluded by advocating for a united front among Latin American nations, particularly in light of the recent events.
