U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened Colombian President Gustavo Petro after the U.S. abducted Venezuela’s leader, Nicolás Maduro. Trump also suggested that the Cuban government might fall soon.
These comments from Trump came on Sunday, despite widespread condemnation of the U.S. action. Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Uruguay, and Spain called this abduction a “dangerous precedent for peace and regional security.”
While speaking to reporters on Air Force One, Trump described Colombia and Venezuela as “very sick” countries. He claimed that Petro, the leader in Bogotá, is “a sick man who likes making cocaine and selling it to the United States.” Trump added, “And he’s not going to be doing it very long. Let me tell you.”
When asked if he meant a U.S. operation against Colombia, Trump replied, “Sounds good to me.”
Petro responded sharply, telling Trump to “stop slandering” him. He urged Latin American countries to unite, warning that they could be treated as “servants and slaves.”
In several posts on X, Petro pointed out that the U.S. is the first country ever to bomb a capital in South America. However, he said that revenge is not the answer.
Instead, he called for Latin America to come together and become a region that can “understand, trade, and connect with the whole world.” He added, “We do not look only to the north, but in all directions.”
Trump’s Warnings to Venezuela, Mexico, Cuba
US forces captured Maduro in Caracas on Saturday. Washington called this a law enforcement operation to bring him to trial for “narcoterrorism” charges.
Maduro denies these claims. Critics say the U.S. wants to remove him to control Venezuela’s oil reserves.
On Air Force One, Trump said the U.S. is still “in charge” of Venezuela, despite the country’s Supreme Court naming Vice President Delcy Rodriguez as the interim leader. He warned that the U.S. military could return to Venezuela if it “doesn’t behave.”
Trump claimed that many Cubans died in the U.S. raid on Caracas. He added that intervening in Cuba is unnecessary because the country seems ready to collapse on its own.
“Cuba is ready to fall,” he said. “They have no income now. They got all their money from Venezuela and Venezuelan oil. They’re not receiving any of it. Cuba is literally ready to fall.”
Trump also warned Mexico to “get their act together” because drugs are flowing through Mexico and action is needed. He called Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum a “terrific person” and said he offered to send U.S. troops to Mexico whenever he talked to her.
He noted that the Mexican government can handle the problem, but the cartels are very powerful in Mexico. Trump has been clear about wanting to expand U.S. influence in the Western Hemisphere, revisiting the Monroe Doctrine, which states that Latin America is under U.S. influence. He calls his version the “Don-roe Doctrine.”
His remarks on Sunday were not his first warnings to Latin American countries.
After Maduro’s capture, Trump told Petro to “watch his back” and mentioned that the political situation in Cuba is “something we’ll talk about because Cuba is a failing nation.”
Dangerous Precedent
The U.S. attack on Venezuela has received strong criticism from many countries.
Brazil, Chile, Uruguay, Colombia, Mexico, and Spain made a joint statement to express their strong concern and rejection of the military actions in Venezuela.
They said, “These actions break important international laws, especially the rules against using or threatening force. These actions create a dangerous situation for peace and regional security and put civilians at risk.”
Analysts also pointed out that it is uncertain whether Trump will act on his threats or if he is trying to pressure these countries into working with the U.S.
“It’s hard to predict. Trump often hopes that other countries will do what he wants without using much force. He believes that these quick, public shows of force, like the bombing in Iran and the operation in Venezuela, will scare other nations into complying,” said David Smith, an associate professor at the University of Sydney’s U.S. Studies Centre.
Trump’s Push for Regime Change in Latin America
Trump is trying to influence governments in Latin America. Smith says he has clashed with Colombian President Gustavo Petro over deportation flights. He also sanctioned a Brazilian judge who prosecuted former President Jair Bolsonaro for trying to start an insurrection. Bolsonaro is a Trump supporter.
Trump has supported the right-wing government of Javier Milei in Argentina and pardoned ex-Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, who faced drug trafficking charges.
Smith noted that in the first year of his administration, Trump has aimed to promote right-wing governments in Latin America and weaken left-wing governments.
Matthew Wilson, a political scientist at Southern Methodist University, believes Cuba will be a top target for further U.S. action. The U.S. has a long history of issues with Cuba.
Relations between the U.S. and Cuba have been tense since Fidel Castro overthrew a U.S.-backed government in 1959 and set up a socialist state with the former Soviet Union.
Wilson stated, “I would be more concerned if I were in Cuba than in Colombia. The U.S. has long-standing grievances against Cuba and a strong group of Cuban Americans who are very hostile to the regime there.”
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