Tensions have escalated between US President Donald Trump and Colombian President Gustavo Petro following a US military operation against Venezuela last week that led to the capture of its deposed leader Nicolas Maduro. The situation intensified after Petro openly challenged the Republican leader, saying, “Come get me, I am waiting for you.”
The development comes amid earlier threats by Trump against Colombia, with the US president remarking that the South American nation is “very sick too”.
What Trump said about the Colombian president
Targeting the Colombian leader, Trump said, “Colombia is run by a sick man who likes making cocaine and selling it to the United States.” He further alleged, “Petro has cocaine mills and cocaine factories and is not going to be doing it very long.”
Gustavo dares Trump
In a post on X, Petro criticised the Trump administration and wrote, “As for Mr. Rubio, who separates the president’s authorities and says that the president does not want to collaborate while the authorities do; I request that he read the Constitution of Colombia because his information is completely wrong, it is the product of interests of Colombian politicians linked familially or commercially to the mafia, who want the breakup of relations between the US and Colombia so that cocaine narcotrafficking explodes in the world.”
While Colombia remains the world’s largest producer of cocaine, there is no evidence, as claimed by Trump, that President Petro, who was elected in 2022, is involved in illegal drug activities. Colombia has long been a US partner in efforts to combat drug trafficking, though relations between the two countries have reportedly deteriorated since Trump took office last year.
Petro, who previously served as mayor of Bogota before becoming president, was also quoted as saying, “I swore not to touch a weapon again…but for the homeland I will take up arms again…Come get me. I’m waiting for you here. Don’t threaten me, I’ll wait for you right here if you want to.”
Maduro issued similar warning
Months before his capture by US forces, the 63 year old Venezuelan leader had issued a similar challenge to Trump.
In a speech in August, Nicolas Maduro had said, “Come get me. I will wait for him here in Miraflores. Don’t be late, coward.”
