Colombia President Says He'll 'Take Up Arms Again' After Trump's Threats

Bogota: Colombia's President Gustavo Petro fired back at US President Donald Trump as tensions between Bogota and Washington hit a new high. After Trump hinted at possible military action against Colombia, Petro vowed to defend his country’s sovereignty, even if it means breaking a long-held personal pledge to shun weapons.

What Exactly Did Petro Say?

Petro took to social media to make his position clear. In a post on X, he wrote: "I swore not to touch a weapon again... but for the homeland I will take up arms again."

The Colombian leader, a former guerrilla who disarmed under a 1989 peace agreement, warned that any violent foreign intervention could spark a broader resistance. He said if US strikes hit civilians, "you will kill many children," and "if you detain the president... you will unleash the popular jaguar."

In a social media post on Monday, Petro, a former leftist fighter, said, "If you bomb even one of these groups without sufficient intelligence, you will kill many children. If you bomb peasants, thousands will turn into guerrillas in the mountains. And if you detain the president, whom a good part of my people love and respect, you will unleash the popular jaguar."

Petro also rejected Trump’s allegations about drug trafficking. He insisted he is neither illegitimate nor involved in the narcotics trade, adding "my name does not appear in court records" and urging Trump to "stop slandering me."

What Did Trump Say to Spark This?

The standoff began after a dramatic US military operation in Venezuela over the weekend, during which Washington captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Trump then turned part of his criticism toward Colombia.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Trump said that Petro should "watch his ass" and blamed Colombia’s leadership, saying the country is "very sick... run by a sick man who likes making cocaine and selling it to the United States." 

When asked if a similar operation could be considered for Colombia, he responded bluntly: "It sounds good to me." 

“Colombia is very sick, too, run by a sick man, who likes making cocaine and selling it to the United States, and he’s not going to be doing it very long,” Trump said.

How Have Officials Responded?

While the presidents traded barbs, Colombian government ministers stressed that cooperation with the US on drug trafficking will continue. Interior Minister Armando Benedetti said Bogota will keep working with US intelligence and technology to target drug labs and criminal networks at the Venezuelan border.

"The government of Colombia has let the US government know... that we are going to keep coordinating and cooperating in the fight against drug trafficking,” Interior Minister Armando Benedetti said in a video.

At the same time, Colombia’s foreign ministry called Trump’s remarks "undue interference" in its internal affairs and demanded respect for sovereignty.