Trump Issues Warning to Colombia’s Petro: “He's Going to Be Next”
Responding to a question about whether he plans to speak with Petro, Trump said: “He's been fairly hostile to the United States. I haven't given a lot of thought. He's gonna have himself some big problems if he doesn't wise up. Colombia is producing a lot of drugs.”
He continued, “They have cocaine factories that they make cocaine, as you know, and they sell it right into the United States. So he better wise up, or he'll be next. He'll be next soon. I hope he's listening. He's going to be next.”
Trump has spent months pushing for Maduro’s removal and has repeatedly attacked Petro, accusing him of being an “illegal drug dealer.”
Wednesday’s comments represent Trump’s clearest warning yet that Petro could face U.S. action unless he takes unspecified steps to address Trump’s accusations.
Petro has rejected claims of drug trafficking ties, insisting they are unfounded and noting that Colombia has endured the human cost of the drug war for decades. He has also accused Trump of prioritizing energy dominance over narcotics enforcement, arguing that Washington’s posture in the region is driven by control of oil.
“(Oil) is at the heart of the matter,” he said last Tuesday, adding that Trump is “not thinking about the democratization of Venezuela, let alone the narco-trafficking.”
Trump also acknowledged that the U.S. had seized an oil tanker off Venezuela’s coast, a move expected to further strain relations with Caracas.
In recent months, Washington has expanded military operations throughout Latin America, deploying Marines, warships, fighter jets, bombers, submarines and drones. U.S. officials say the effort targets drug-trafficking networks and “narco-terrorist” vessels.
So far, the U.S. has conducted 22 publicly known strikes on alleged “narco-terrorist” seaborne targets, killing 87 people since the campaign began in the Caribbean Sea and Eastern Pacific in early September.
Petro has strongly criticized the operations, which have also triggered bipartisan concerns in the U.S. Congress over their legality.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
