WASHINGTON – U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday threatened possible military action in Colombia, Venezuela’s neighboring country. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said he was open to the idea of an operation in Colombia, stating that he was “listening” to such proposals.
“Colombia is in bad shape and is being run by a man who is in bad shape,” Trump said, appearing to refer to Colombian President Gustavo Petro. “This man likes to produce cocaine and sell it to the United States, but he won’t be doing that for much longer,” Trump added. Petro, a left-wing president, is known as a vocal critic of Trump.
Trump’s remarks come in the aftermath of U.S. military actions over the weekend that led to the capture and removal of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro from Venezuela. In response to those developments, Petro said Colombia is “deeply concerned” about the situation and announced that additional troops would be deployed to the border with Venezuela.
Tensions in the region have continued to escalate in recent days. Colombian authorities fear that growing instability in Venezuela, combined with the possibility of further U.S. military action, could have direct consequences for border security and further strain already fragile regional relations.
Observers warn that any expansion of military operations beyond Venezuela could significantly destabilize northern South America and have ripple effects throughout the Caribbean, including for nearby island nations that depend on regional stability for security, trade, and tourism.