Colombian President: The Possibility of a U.S. Military Operation Against Colombia Has Become a Real Threat

SadaNews - Colombian President Gustavo Petro stated that the possibility of the United States conducting a military operation against his country following Venezuela has become a "real threat". In an interview with the British "BBC" network on Friday, Petro discussed U.S.-Colombian relations and details of his phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump. Petro mentioned that he believes U.S. military intervention in Colombia is no longer just a possibility, but rather a "real threat". He noted that the United States views other countries as part of its "empire," and considered that Washington is shifting from "global domination to isolation from it." Regarding the details of his phone call with Trump on January 8, which lasted less than an hour, he stated that the discussion included combating drug trafficking in Colombia, Colombia's perspective on the situations in Venezuela, and developments related to U.S. policies in Latin America. In the interview, Petro strongly criticized the practices of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), accusing it of moving beyond the persecution of Latinos to causing the deaths of American citizens. He also accused Washington of "seeking wars for oil and coal," indicating that the Venezuelan crisis is linked to this agenda. In response to a question about how Colombia would respond to a potential U.S. attack, Petro said, "It’s not about facing a massive army with weapons we do not have; we do not even have air defense systems. Instead, we will rely, as we always have, on our people, our mountains, and our forests." Petro confirmed that he prefers to resolve disputes through dialogue, emphasizing that "the fading of this threat depends on ongoing negotiations." He also strongly rejected Trump's description of him as a "sick man who loves producing cocaine," adding that he has been fighting drug cartels for 20 years, a war that has led to his family's exile. Earlier, Trump accused the Colombian president of having "factories for producing cocaine that sends it to the United States," and said, "He (Petro) should be careful." Trump also described Colombia as a "sick country," commenting on the possibility of launching a military attack by saying, "The operation in Colombia seems like a good idea." In violation of international law, the U.S. military launched an attack on Venezuela on January 3, 2026, resulting in casualties and the kidnapping of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, taking them to the United States.