Bogota, Colombia – Colombian-American relations have entered a dark tunnel of escalating rhetoric. This comes after strongly worded warnings issued by Colombian President Gustavo Petro to his American counterpart, Donald Trump, threatening a return to “armed action” if Washington attempts to infringe upon his country’s sovereignty or targets him personally.
Threat of arrest and a “wild” popular response
Petro’s remarks, delivered via the X platform, were a response to what he described as “illegitimate” threats from Trump. Petro also warned that any US attempt to arrest him would unleash “unbridled public anger.” He asserted that a large segment of the Colombian population was prepared to defend him.
Petro said: “I will carefully check whether Trump’s words were translated as reported by the media. My response will be decisive after understanding the nature of these threats.”
Warning of a “child crematorium”
In the context of the American threat to launch airstrikes against drug cartels, Petro issued a humanitarian and strategic warning to Washington, saying:
Human shields: He stressed that airstrikes without accurate information would lead to the killing of children, because armed groups recruit minors to protect their leaders.
Producing rebels: He warned that bombing innocent peasants would lead to the birth of thousands of new rebels in the Colombian mountains.
Between peace and weapons: “I will carry my rifle again.”
In one of his most controversial statements, Petro recalled his past as a former fighter in the M-19 movement. He said: “After the 1989 peace agreement, I swore never to take up arms again. But today I am ready to take up arms in defense of the homeland, despite my hatred of war.”
