The President of the United States, Donald Trump, issued a direct warning to President Gustavo Petro, after the Colombian government expressed its "deep concern" regarding the U.S. military operation in Venezuela, during which Nicolás Maduro was captured.
President Petro needs to be careful, Trump said in statements to U.S. media when responding to the official statement issued by the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
"You should be more concerned about what is happening at your border, about the crime and drug trafficking that is destroying your country, instead of questioning the United States for defending its national interests," he added.
Hours earlier, President Petro had issued a lengthy statement on his X account (formerly Twitter), where he expressed that his government "watches with deep concern the reports of explosions and unusual aerial activity in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela."
He also expressed rejection of "any unilateral military action that could worsen the situation or endanger the civilian population."
"Colombia reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, particularly the respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states," wrote Petro, calling for "de-escalation" and the peaceful resolution of international disputes.
The statements made by the Colombian leader were interpreted in Washington as a direct challenge to Trump's order to capture Maduro, who has been accused since 2020 of narcoterrorism, corruption, and connections with criminal organizations such as Tren de Aragua and the FARC.
Petro also announced that he deployed the army near the Colombian border following Maduro's capture.
Through his official X account, the president detailed: “We have just finished the national security council since 3 am. The public force is being deployed at the border, all available assistance forces are being deployed in case of a massive influx of refugees.”
The U.S. president, when asked about Petro's message, responded strongly: “Maduro was not a legitimate president; he was an armed drug trafficker who threatened the United States and the entire region. Anyone who defends that should think twice. Colombia needs to be careful about the kind of message it sends.”
Sources close to the White House indicated that Washington is evaluating the tone of the Colombian statement and that diplomatic channels will remain open, although a formal response from the State Department is not ruled out if Bogotá insists on its position.
In parallel, the Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, reiterated that “the United States acted within its right to protect national security” and emphasized that the operation in Venezuela “was a specific mission against individuals accused of narco-terrorism, not a military action against the Venezuelan people.”
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