US President Donald Trump warned Colombian President Gustavo Petro on Wednesday that he would be"next," alluding to the pressure his administration is exerting on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
When asked by reporters at the White House whether he planned to speak with Petro soon, the Republican ruled it out, arguing that the Colombian president"has been quite hostile toward the United States."
"I hope he's listening. He'll be next," Trump said.
Tensions between Colombia and the United States
This statement comes in a context where Colombia was not only decertified by the Trump administration in the fight against drugs. The US president has repeatedly referred to the country as a"drug factory."
Furthermore, both presidents have been making statements that increase international tension while bombings continue against vessels allegedly carrying drugs in international waters.
Trump's statements and actions add to the friction between the two governments
The US leader stated that Petro"is going to have big problems if he doesn't realize" that Colombia is "producing a lot of drugs."
"They have cocaine factories where they produce cocaine, as you know, and sell it directly to the United States," he stated.
In September, Trump removed Colombia from the list of countries that cooperate in the fight against drugs and subsequently sanctioned Petro, whom he accused of being a"drug trafficking leader".
The Colombian president has rejected these actions and maintains that his government's anti-drug policy is the right one.
Trump thus puts Colombia in the sights of the operation called 'Southern Spear' which he ordered with the argument of combating drug trafficking in Latin America and which has raised tensions with the regime of Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela.
Since September,the US Armed Forces have destroyed more than 20 vessels allegedly carrying drugsin the Caribbean and the Pacific, near Venezuela and Colombia, extrajudicially killing more than 80 crew members.
Trump has promised that attacks inside Venezuelan territory will begin"soon," while Maduro has called on his citizens to unite against US threats and enlist in citizen militias.
