247 - US President Donald Trump published this Sunday (19), on his Truth Social network, a direct attack on Gustavo Petro, accusing the Colombian president of being a “leader of drug trafficking”.

"It strongly encourages the mass production of narcotics, in large and small fields throughout Colombia. This has become by far the largest business in the country, and Petro does nothing to stop it, despite large payments and subsidies from the United States—which are nothing more than a long-term scam against America," Trump said.

"Starting today, these payments, or any other form of payment or subsidy, will no longer be made to Colombia. The purpose of this drug production is to sell massive quantities of the product to the United States, causing death, destruction, and chaos. Petro, a poorly judged and deeply unpopular leader with a sharp tongue toward America, had better close these death camps immediately—or the United States will close them for him, and it won't be pleasant."

Diplomatic Escalation and Latin America

The statements heightened tensions between Washington and Bogotá. Trump did not specify which cooperation programs or funds would be cut. He also did not say how the US could intervene in foreign territory to shut down drug crops.

The threats to Colombia are not overt and are part of an effort by the Trump administration to interfere in the sovereignty of Latin American countries.

President Trump has deployed more than 10,000 troops to the Caribbean region near the Venezuelan coast. The U.S. claims the move is necessary to combat narcoterrorism and has announced a reward of up to $50 million (approximately R$270 million) for information leading to the arrest or conviction of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

The US president confirmed that he asked the US spy agency, the CIA, to conduct operations in Venezuela to overthrow Nicolás Maduro. The Venezuelan president announced that the country had fully activated its defense plan in the face of"threats" from the United States.