Colombia's leftist president, Gustavo Petro, has issued a stark warning that he is prepared to 'take up arms' should former US President Donald Trump follow through on threats of military action against the South American nation.
A War of Words Escalates
The fiery exchange began after Trump, while travelling on Air Force One, accused Petro of 'making cocaine and selling it to the United States'. The former president suggested that a military operation in Colombia, similar to the one that recently captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, 'sounds good to me'.
In a lengthy social media post, President Petro firmly rejected any US plans to launch strikes against drug traffickers on Colombian soil. He issued a grave prediction, stating: 'If you bomb peasants, thousands of guerrillas will return in the mountains.' He further warned that arresting a popular leader would 'unleash the popular jaguar'.
Petro's Personal Pledge and Purge
Petro, a former member of a left-wing guerrilla group, made the conflict intensely personal. He declared that despite swearing off violence after the 1989 Peace Pact, 'for the Homeland I will take up arms again'. He emphasised his modest assets, stating: 'I am not illegitimate, nor am I a narco, I only have as assets my family home that I still pay for with my salary.'
The Colombian leader also revealed he had recently fired intelligence officers he accused of feeding the US administration 'false information' about his government. He issued a new order to the military, commanding any officer who prefers the US flag to Colombia's to 'immediately withdraw'.
Broader Regional Fallout from Maduro's Capture
This confrontation follows the explosive US operation that led to the capture of Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro, 63, and his wife Cilia Flores, 69. Maduro was hauled before a federal court in Manhattan on Monday amid chaotic scenes.
In the wake of the arrests, Trump issued ominous warnings to several regional governments, including Colombia, Cuba, and Mexico, demanding tougher action against drug cartels. He specifically targeted Petro, calling him a 'sick man'.
Trump also suggested the United States should 'takeover' Venezuela during a transitional period, with a sharp focus on rebuilding the country's vast but crumbling oil reserves. He claimed American oil companies would step in, alleging Venezuela had committed 'the greatest theft in the history of America' by seizing US assets.
The White House has reportedly told oil firms that reconstructing Venezuela's oil infrastructure would be a condition for any compensation linked to previously seized assets. This ongoing geopolitical storm shows no signs of abating, with Petro's defiant stance marking a significant escalation in rhetoric.
