US President Donald Trump issued a blunt warning to Colombian President Gustavo Petro, telling him to “watch his a**”, as Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro was taken to a prison facility in New York, nearly a day after Washington launched its military operation in Venezuela.
Speaking to reporters, Trump accused Petro of allowing drug production that fuels cocaine trafficking into the United States. “He’s making cocaine, and they’re sending it into the United States, so he does have to watch his a**,” Trump said.
Petro, without naming Maduro, criticised Washington’s actions as an “assault on the sovereignty” of Latin America and warned that the US strikes would trigger a humanitarian crisis across the region. He has repeatedly opposed US military deployments in the Caribbean, describing them as destabilising and counterproductive.
Tensions between Washington and Bogotá have risen in recent weeks after Trump said he would not rule out targeting drug-production laboratories inside Colombia. Petro condemned the remarks as a veiled threat of invasion.
Hours after Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores were extracted from Caracas during Operation Absolute Resolve, Trump said the US would temporarily “run” Venezuela. “We’re going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition,” he said, adding that Washington was prepared to carry out a second and “much larger” military strike if necessary.
Trump also signalled a hardening US posture across Latin America, declaring that American dominance in the Western Hemisphere would no longer be questioned. “We want stability. We want energy. We have tremendous energy in that country. It’s very important that we protect it,” he said, in a reference to Venezuela’s oil reserves.
The US president expressed confidence in Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, suggesting she was willing to work with Washington, while casting doubt on opposition leader Maria Corina Machado’s domestic support. “She doesn’t have the respect within the country,” Trump said.
Outlining future plans, Trump said US oil companies would be sent into Venezuela to repair its “badly broken” oil infrastructure, while maintaining that the embargo on Venezuelan oil would remain in force. “The American armada remains poised in position, and the United States retains all military options,” he added.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio hinted that Cuba could face similar pressure, warning that leaders in Havana should be “concerned”. Trump also sent a pointed message to Mexico, claiming that drug cartels, not President Claudia Sheinbaum, were in control of the country.
The developments underline a sharp escalation in Washington’s regional strategy, reviving memories of past US military interventions in Latin America and raising fears of wider instability following Maduro’s removal.
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