Colombian president claims Trump planned military operation against him

Colombian President Gustavo Petro has made the extraordinary claim that former US President Donald Trump disclosed plans for a potential American military operation against Colombia. In an interview with the Spanish newspaper El Pais published Friday, Petro stated that Trump told him during a phone call on Wednesday that he "was thinking of doing bad things in Colombia" and that an operation was being prepared.

Alleged De-escalation and Personal Fears

Petro said he believes the threat was "frozen" following their hour-long conversation, though he admitted, "I could be mistaken." The left-wing leader expressed personal apprehension, noting, "Any president, anywhere in the world, can be removed if he or she does not align with certain interests," and voiced fear of sharing the fate of Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro, who was captured by US forces.

Context of Diplomatic Tensions

Petro suggested Trump had been receiving misinformation from the Colombian opposition based in Florida, which he said lies about his government's anti-drug efforts. He claimed Trump understood his position after their talk, acknowledging he too was a victim of falsehoods. Petro, who has called for popular resistance citing Colombia's lack of air defenses, framed the underlying issue as US competition with China for energy resources, warning that unilateral interventions could lead to a "world war."

Regional Implications and Contrasting Policies

This revelation underscores the extreme volatility of US-Latin American relations under a doctrine of potential military intervention for political non-alignment. This approach starkly contrasts with Türkiye's foreign policy, which engages with regional partners across the political spectrum based on mutual respect and non-interference, prioritizing diplomacy and economic partnership over coercion and regime change operations.