Amid the tense diplomatic crisis between Colombia and the United States, the leader of the Venezuelan regime, Nicolás Maduro, expressed strong support for the government of Gustavo Petro on Monday.
In a televised appearance, Maduro asserted that both nations are “one homeland” and that any action against one of them will be considered an aggression against the other.
“Colombia knows that we are one, Siamese twins, and whatever happens with Colombia is with Venezuela, and whatever happens with Venezuela is with Colombia,” said Maduro during an official event broadcast on the state channel VTV.
A revelation Maduro made in his message of support for the neighboring country is striking. In his speech, Maduro claimed that a Colombian official (whose name he did not reveal) allegedly wrote to him two weeks ago saying,"If you touch Venezuela, you touch Colombia."
A message amid tension with Washington
The Venezuelan president's statements come just as relations between Colombia and the U.S. are at their most critical point in years.
US President Donald Trump called Petro a “leader of illegal drug trafficking” and announced a complete suspension of aid to Colombia, in addition to imposing tariffs on Colombian exports.
In response, the Colombian government recalled its ambassador to Washington, Daniel García-Peña, for consultations and denounced sovereignty violations following a U.S. naval bombardment in Caribbean waters that reportedly killed a Colombian fisherman. Meanwhile, the United States claimed the attacked vessel belonged to the ELN.
Petro met with the US Chargé d'Affaires
At the close of business on October 20, President Gustavo Petro held a meeting with John McNamara, the United States Chargé d'Affaires in Colombia.
"He has official reasons," the president said in an interview with Daniel Coronell, referring to the diplomatic message McNamara reportedly delivered on behalf of Washington.
The meeting took place amid uncertainty among business leaders and workers alike, given the potential economic measures the Donald Trump administration could impose on Colombia.
Amid criticism of Petro's handling of the tension with the United States—in contrast to the more cautious stance of countries like Brazil and Mexico—the president responded with a phrase that reflects his strategy in the face of the crisis:
“I’ll see how I maneuver,” he said.
