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Colombia president should 'watch his ass': Trump’s warning after Venezuela strikes
Gustavo Petro strongly criticised Washington’s actions, describing the Trump administration's operation as an “assault on the sovereignty” of Latin America.
US President Donald Trump on Saturday warned Colombian President Gustavo Petro to “watch his ass” following a US military operation that captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, escalating tensions across the region.
“He's making cocaine and they're sending it into the United States, so he does have to watch his ass,” Trump said at a press conference, referring to Petro, with whom he has sparred repeatedly in recent months. Follow US Strikes on Venezuela live updates
Trump’s remarks came hours after the United States carried out a dramatic overnight operation in Venezuela, seizing Maduro and flying him out of the country.
The United States attacked Venezuela and captured its long-serving President Nicolas Maduro early Saturday, with Trump announcing that Washington would temporarily take control of the country.
Also Read | 150 planes, 30 minutes: How the US captured Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro in his ‘fortress’
Petro condemns ‘assault on sovereignty’
Colombian President Gustavo Petro strongly criticised Washington’s actions, describing the Trump administration's operation as an “assault on the sovereignty” of Latin America that could trigger a humanitarian crisis.
In a statement post on X, Petro said his government convened a national security meeting before dawn on Saturday and deployed security forces to the Colombia–Venezuela border in preparation for what he warned could be a “massive influx of refugees” from neighbouring Venezuela.
He also said Colombia would push for international action, calling on the United Nations Security Council to address what he described as “the aggression against the sovereignty of Venezuela and of Latin America.”
UN Security Council to meet
The United Nations Security Council is set to meet on Monday to discuss the US operation, according to the Somali presidency of the Council.
The emergency meeting, scheduled for 10:00 am local time (1500 GMT), was requested by Venezuela and relayed by Colombia, diplomatic sources told AFP.
Not just Columbia, Saturday’s operation drew condemnation from Maduro’s allies, including Russia. The Russian foreign ministry denounced what it called an “act of armed aggression” and warned of the need to avoid further escalation.
US strikes on Venezuela
Attacks were reported in multiple parts of Venezuela, including the capital Caracas and the states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira, the Venezuelan government said in a statement.
Videos circulating on social media, which could not be independently verified, appeared to show explosions in Caracas. One clip claimed to capture large blasts at Higuerote Airport, around 87 km (54 miles) east of the capital.
As part of the operation, US special forces knocked out electricity in parts of Caracas and captured Maduro and his wife in or near one of his safe houses, Trump said.
With Maduro now in US custody, Trump outlined Washington’s next steps. “We will run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition,” Trump said during a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.
