After capturing Maduro, Trump threatens another South American president: 'He should watch his ass'
Colombian President Gustavo Petro speaking during a military ceremony in Bogota on October 24, 2025. PHOTO: Ovidio GONZALEZ / AFP / Profimedia
Donald Trump said Saturday that his Colombian counterpart, Gustavo Petro, should “watch his ass” after the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, reports AFP.
“He owns factories where he produces cocaine. (…) He produces cocaine and ships it to the United States, so he has to protect his ass,” he added, referring to the Colombian president during the press conference at Mar-A-Lago where he spoke about the US operation in Venezuela.
VIDEO Maduro captured after US attack in Venezuela. Trump gave few details about a statement he made that took the world by surprise
President Gustavo Petro broadcast on X, just after the US attack on Venezuela began: “At this moment, Caracas is being bombarded… bombarded with missiles.”
Then the Colombian leader returned with a message on the social network, stating that “the Republic of Colombia reiterates its conviction that peace, respect for international law and the protection of human life and dignity must prevail over any form of armed confrontation.”
The United States imposed sanctions on Colombian President Gustavo Petro at the end of October, as Donald Trump suddenly escalated the conflict with the country, which has long been an ally of Washington in Latin America, accusing Petro of refusing to stop the trafficking of cocaine to the United States.
Tensions between Washington and many countries in the region rose earlier this fall as the US military stepped up activity in the southern Caribbean, attacking ships in international waters it accuses of carrying drugs.
Trump then said Petro was the “leader of the illegal drug trade” after Colombia's leftist president accused the US of committing “crimes” through the attacks.
The US leader also announced in October the cutting of subsidies to Colombia: “It has become the biggest business in Colombia by far, and Petro is doing nothing to stop it, despite large-scale payments and subsidies from the US, which are nothing but a long-term scam on America. Starting today, these payments or any other form of payment or subsidy will no longer be made to Colombia.”
Big problems for Colombia's president: He can no longer collect his salary, and a company even refused to fuel his plane
The United States will revoke a president's visa for “reckless and inflammatory” remarks on Friday
