US President Donald Trump on Saturday issued a blunt warning to Colombian President Gustavo Petro following a US military operation that captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and removed him from the country, expanding his sharp rhetoric to Cuba and regional politics.
Asked at a press conference in Florida about Petro’s comments dismissing concerns over repercussions from the strikes on Venezuela, Trump accused the Colombian leader of overseeing drug production and trafficking into the United States.
“He has cocaine mills. He has factories where he makes cocaine. They’re sending it into the United States,” Trump said, adding that Petro “does have to watch his a--.”
In the lead-up to the Venezuela operation, Trump repeatedly accused Caracas of fueling the flow of illegal drugs into the US, framing the strikes as part of a broader regional security effort.
Cuba can soon become the focus of US policy discussions
Trump also turned his criticism towards Cuba, calling the island a “failing nation” and blaming decades of economic hardship on its leadership. He suggested Cuba could soon become a focus of US policy discussions.
“The people there have suffered for many, many years,” Trump said. “We want to help the people in Cuba, but we also want to help the people that were forced out of Cuba and living in this country,” he added, speaking in Florida, home to a large and politically influential Cuban American community.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, standing alongside Trump, delivered an even harsher assessment of Havana. Calling Cuba “a disaster,” Rubio accused Cuban officials of playing a central role in propping up Maduro’s government.
“All the guards that helped protect Maduro — their whole spy agency — were full of Cubans,” Rubio said, arguing that Venezuela’s problems include what he described as undue Cuban influence. “One of the biggest problems the Venezuelans have is they have to declare independence from Cuba,” he added.
The remarks underscore rising tensions between Washington and several Latin American governments following the high-profile US operation in Venezuela, as regional leaders weigh the diplomatic and security fallout.
