Live Updates: Trump States U.S. Will ‘Rebuild’ Venezuela and Hints He May Not Intervene in Colombia
Following the endorsement for the ousting of Venezuela’s leader, President Trump appeared to shift his attention to additional nations, notably Colombia. On Sunday, he labeled its president, Gustavo Petro, as a “sick man” who produces cocaine to deliver to the United States, adding that military intervention in the South American nation “sounds good.” The response from Mr. Petro—a resolute 65-year-old leftist who has had numerous confrontations with the American president—was one of urgency. He urged the citizens of Colombia to rise in defense of him and their nation’s sovereignty, unleashed a barrage of outraged social media posts, and provided a rare interview to The New York Times on Wednesday. “Well, we are in danger,” he remarked. “Because the threat is real. It was articulated by Trump.” Just hours later, while making the journey from the Colombian port city of Cartagena back to Bogotá, the capital, Mr. Petro discovered that Mr. Trump himself wished to converse with him, as informed by an aide who was not authorized to speak publicly. This call took place once Mr. Petro returned to the presidential palace, occurring as thousands were gathered outside at a rally he had scheduled for that very time. Mr. Petro had mobilized supporters for a demonstration in Bogotá on Wednesday night. Credit…Nathalia Angarita for The New York Times. A U.S. official affirmed that the conversation did take place, indicating it lasted approximately an hour, a duration that is notably lengthy for a dialogue of this nature between Mr. Trump and another head of state.
In an unexpected turnaround, shortly after the call, Mr. Trump took to social media, stating it had been a “Great Honor” to talk with Mr. Petro, who he asserted had “called to clarify the situation regarding drugs and other disagreements that we have had.” Mr. Trump expressed gratitude for “his call and tone,” indicating that he looked forward to a meeting; a visit to the White House was in the works. This phone conversation seemed to ease a tense situation and alleviate a sense of impending danger for the Colombian president, who had earlier disclosed to The Times that he was anxious he might be removed from power like Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro and that he intended to spend the night in the presidential palace next to the sword of Simón Bolívar, the hero of South American independence. (Mr. Petro previously belonged to an urban guerrilla group that seized the sword in a symbolic gesture.) He articulated concerns that Mr. Trump might attempt to rationalize such an action by either associating him with Mr. Maduro or branding him a drug trafficker, accusations he vigorously denied. “He’s entirely mistaken about that,” Mr. Petro stated. “I live modestly on my salary, even if it is relatively substantial for Colombia.” In his multitude of social media posts, Mr. Petro articulated that Trump’s actions regarding Venezuela on Saturday and his implied threats toward Colombia and Mexico since had roused the “jaguar”—a reference not to himself but to the anti-imperialist sentiments of the populace in Latin America.
Mr. Petro greeted supporters as he progressed to the Plaza de Bolívar for his rally in Bogotá on Wednesday night. Credit…Nathalia Angarita for The New York Times. His demeanor was considerably more subdued during the interview with The Times, which spanned two hours and wandered through historical topics such as 17th-century slave rebellions to the philosophies of Jürgen Habermas, the German social theorist, while also suggesting the pressure he was under. When questioned whether he might have invoked the ire of the U.S. president with his persistent social media posts, including one on Tuesday in which he referred to Mr. Trump’s “senile brain,” Mr. Petro seriously replied no. He posited that the president’s threats against Colombia arose from a lack of direct dialogue between the two leaders; consequently, Mr. Trump harbored an “erroneous” perception of him. He criticized right-wing figures both in Colombia and the United States for shaping that image leading up to the presidential elections in May. (Mr. Petro is constitutionally barred from pursuing a consecutive term, and the race to succeed him is still wide open.) It turned out he would have his first-ever phone conversation with Mr. Trump the same day. After the call, Mr. Petro appeared to look “better” than he had in days, recounted the aide, who quoted Mr. Petro in that moment: “Well, looks like we’re headed to Washington.” That will necessitate some maneuvering: The U.S. State Department withdrew Mr. Petro’s visa last fall after he urged American soldiers to resist Mr. Trump during a pro-Palestinian demonstration in New York.
While Mr. Petro’s team claimed he had consistently sought a conversation with Mr. Trump, it remained ambiguous what triggered the phone call on Wednesday. The White House did not provide an immediate response to a request for comments. Since Mr. Trump assumed office roughly a year ago, the relationship between the two leaders has been openly adversarial. In February, Mr. Petro briefly obstructed military flights transporting migrants from the United States, relenting only after Mr. Trump threatened Colombia with severe tariffs. He has criticized Mr. Trump for the latter’s backing of Israel. Recently, he accused the United States of causing “murder” in the naval strikes off the South American coast that the Trump administration claims are targeting drug traffickers, suggesting that the strikes were being used to deflect attention from the Epstein scandal. This prompted Mr. Trump to label Mr. Petro as an “illegal drug dealer.”Fishing boats in Santa Marta, Colombia, where residents report that U.S. airstrikes have instilled fear about going out to fish. Credit…Federico Rios for The New York Times. Mr. Petro has not expressed much remorse publicly. Instead, he appears to embrace his position as the region’s most outspoken critic of the Trump administration, even as some Colombians caution that he might be focusing too much on antagonizing a formidable opponent and risk damaging a solid alliance with the United States. Even as Mr. Trump has attempted to depict Mr. Petro and his nation as responsible for flooding the United States with drugs, the two countries have been profoundly intertwined in counternarcotics initiatives for decades. Tens of billions of dollars have been allocated to Colombia in U.S. training and equipment over decades, and the United States played a crucial role in locating and eliminating one of history’s most infamous drug cartel leaders, Pablo Escobar, in 1993. Yet, cocaine production has continued to surge in Colombia alongside escalating consumption, mainly in Western nations. Colombia remains the dominant global producer by a significant margin. “Colombia, despite its unconventional president, possesses institutions that collaborate closely with us, and those connections remain robust and unaffected,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters last month. “We will not permit the actions of a president whose term will soon conclude to jeopardize the relationship that exists between the United States and Colombia.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio addressing the media after a briefing for senators regarding the situation in Venezuela, held on Capitol Hill on Wednesday. Credit…Kenny Holston/The New York Times. However, the rhetoric escalated this week following Mr. Trump’s subtle military threat, prompting widespread anxiety that the U.S. military could contemplate airstrikes within Colombian territory or even direct action against Mr. Petro. In response, Mr. Petro had called on Colombians to gather on Wednesday wrapped in their national flag—to safeguard him. His foreign minister emphasized the necessity for diplomacy but also stated Colombia would not dismiss a military countermeasure if the U.S. initiated an assault.
In the United States, Senator Chuck Schumer, the minority leader, indicated that during a briefing with prominent officials from the Trump administration, including Mr. Rubio, he had sought assurances that the United States was not contemplating operations in other countries, such as Colombia. “I was profoundly disappointed by their response,” he remarked. During a White House press briefing on Wednesday, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was inquired about the president’s threats towards Colombia and whether Mr. Petro should anticipate a visit from Delta Force, a division of the U.S. Army. “That would be an exceedingly imprudent question for me to respond to,” she replied. Mr. Petro’s arrival at the rally was delayed due to Mr. Trump’s call. When Mr. Petro eventually emerged on stage around 6:30 p.m., he was welcomed by thousands chanting his name, wielding banners that read “Respect Colombia” and “Gringos Go Home.” Mr. Petro received applause when he informed the crowd at his Bogotá rally on Wednesday that he had just conversed with President Trump. Credit…Nathalia Angarita for The New York Times. He conveyed to the crowd that he had just spoken with Mr. Trump and recited part of Mr. Trump’s post on Truth Social. The audience erupted in applause. “Talking is one matter, being partners is something else,” Mr. Petro declared. “I engage in conversation so that we can have fewer deaths, fewer children being drawn into conflict, fewer coca fields.” A few hours afterward, before concluding the day, Mr. Petro took to X, his preferred social media platform, and shared an image of a bald eagle and a jaguar appearing to nuzzle one another. Federico Rios contributed reporting from Cartagena, Colombia. Jorge Valencia contributed reporting from Bogotá, Colombia.
Published: 2026-01-08 12:23:00
source: www.nytimes.com
