President Donald Trump escalated tensions in Latin America by openly threatening Colombian President Gustavo Petro with possible military action, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggested Cuba may be nearing a political collapse. The remarks came just one day after U.S. forces carried out a surprise raid that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, dramatically reshaping the regional landscape and signaling a more aggressive posture by the Trump administration.
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Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump accused Petro of presiding over a country fueled by cocaine production and export, calling Colombia’s leadership “sick” and asserting that Petro’s time in power would be short. When asked directly whether that implied potential military action, Trump responded, “Sounds good to me,” a remark that immediately drew international attention and concern.
Petro responded sharply on social media, denouncing Trump’s comments as “slander” and warning that Latin America must unite or risk being treated as “servants and slaves.” He also accused the United States of setting a historic and dangerous precedent by bombing a South American capital, referring to the U.S. operation that led to Maduro’s seizure in Caracas.
Maduro and his wife were captured early Saturday by U.S. Special Forces and flown to New York to face narcoterrorism and drug-trafficking charges. The operation, which reportedly disabled portions of Venezuela’s air defenses, sparked swift global reaction. Brazil, Chile, Mexico, and Spain condemned the action as a threat to international peace, while Argentine President Javier Milei openly celebrated the fall of what he called a dictatorship.
At Mar-a-Lago, Trump said the United States would temporarily oversee Venezuela until a “safe and proper transition” could be arranged, announcing plans for U.S. oil companies to help rebuild the country’s devastated energy sector. Rubio later reinforced the administration’s hardline message, telling NBC’s Meet the Press that Cuban leaders should be worried, noting Havana’s close involvement in Maduro’s security apparatus and warning that Cuba itself may soon face a reckoning.[/read]