Colombian President Gustavo Petro has issued a sharp warning to United States President Donald Trump following recent remarks in which Trump accused him of drug trafficking and suggested that Colombia could face military action similar to the recent US operation in Venezuela.
Petro’s response came on Sunday after Trump, speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, made incendiary comments days after US forces carried out a surprise military raid in Caracas aimed at removing Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro from power.
According to reports, US forces launched airstrikes on military targets in the Venezuelan capital in the early hours of Saturday during what was described as a swift “snatch-and-grab” operation intended to assert Washington’s influence over the oil-rich nation and unseat Maduro. The assault immediately heightened regional tensions, prompting concern among Latin American leaders over what they described as an increasingly aggressive US foreign policy.
While addressing journalists on Sunday, Trump shifted his focus to Colombia, branding the country “very sick” and accusing its president of overseeing narcotics production.
“It’s run by a sick man who likes making cocaine and selling it to the United States,” Trump said, further alleging that Petro was directly involved in drug manufacturing. He claimed the Colombian leader operated “cocaine mills and cocaine factories” and suggested his time in office would soon come to an end.
Asked whether Colombia could face military intervention similar to Venezuela, Trump responded, “It sounds good to me,” adding, without evidence, that Colombians “kill a lot of people.”
Petro swiftly rejected the allegations, denying any involvement in drug trafficking and dismissing Trump’s remarks as defamatory. He stated that his name does not appear in any court records linked to narcotics crimes.
In a series of posts on social media platform 𝕏, the Colombian president accused Trump of spreading falsehoods and demanded an end to the attacks. “Stop slandering me, Mr Trump,” Petro wrote.
He also criticised the tone of the US president’s comments, noting Colombia’s history and his own political journey. Petro said such threats were unacceptable, particularly against a Latin American leader who emerged from armed struggle and later from the country’s pursuit of peace.
Petro has been a vocal critic of US military actions in the region, especially the operation in Venezuela. He accused Washington of abducting President Maduro without legal justification and described the raid as a violation of international law.
In a later post, he added pointedly, “Friends do not bomb.”
Colombia’s foreign ministry also condemned Trump’s remarks, describing them as an unacceptable intrusion into the country’s internal affairs. The ministry demanded respect from Washington and warned that such statements undermine diplomatic norms and threaten regional stability.
Although Colombia and the United States have historically maintained close military and economic ties, relations between the two countries have grown increasingly strained in recent months amid rising political and diplomatic tensions.
