Colombian President Gustavo Petro Voices Fear of US Military Intervention Following Venezuela Operation
- Petro fears US military intervention next.
- US treating Latin American nations as property.
- ICE agents compared to Nazi security brigades.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro has intensified diplomatic friction with the United States, expressing serious concerns to the BBC regarding potential US military action against his nation. Petro stated his belief that the US military would move against Colombia next, following operations related to neighboring Venezuela. The President suggested that the United States increasingly views other sovereign nations as mere extensions of its own territory, a declaration made amid heightened tensions triggered by threats from US President Donald Trump.
President Trump had previously stated that military action against Colombia was ‘possible,’ particularly in the wake of efforts to apprehend Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Trump had also publicly urged Petro to ‘protect himself,’ generating a strong public reaction from the Colombian leader.
Petro further criticized what he perceives as a strategic shift in US foreign policy, moving from ‘seeking world dominance’ toward ‘global isolation.’ His most stinging criticism, however, was reserved for US immigration enforcement. Petro accused agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) of acting like ‘Nazi Brigades,’ in reference to the noticeable increase in enforcement operations that the Trump administration justifies as necessary crackdowns against crime and illegal immigration.
While the two leaders held an hour-long phone discussion recently, which President Trump described as an ‘honor’ on his social media platform, Truth Social, and announced a future White House meeting, President Petro’s subsequent comments indicate persistent strain. Petro told the BBC that during the majority of the call, he was primarily listening to Trump, with the topics centering on drug smuggling in Colombia, the Colombian position on Venezuela, and the overall role of the US in Latin America. Despite initial reports suggesting a softening in rhetoric from both sides following the call, Petro’s critical assessment of US immigration practices and military posturing confirms that the underlying diplomatic rift remains significant.