Colombia's Petro to sue Trump in US courts over 'thug' remark

Colombian President Gustavo Petro has declared he will take legal action in United States courts following derogatory comments made about him by former US President Donald Trump. The diplomatic dispute emerged after Trump labeled Petro "a thug and a bad man" and threatened "very serious action" against Colombia.

Legal Response to Defamation

In posts on social media platform X, Petro stated he would defend himself through US judicial channels against what he called "slanders that have been cast against me in the territory of the United States by high-ranking officials." While not explicitly naming Trump, the response directly addressed the former president's accusations linking Colombia to drug production. Petro affirmed Colombia's willingness to cooperate against drug trafficking "with the states that want our help."

Accusations of Electoral Interference

The Colombian leader framed Trump's comments as politically motivated, asserting that "the magnitude of Trump's insult to Colombia and to myself no longer aims to achieve an effective anti-drug trafficking strategy but to affect Colombia's elections next year." Petro accused Trump of seeking "once again the triumph of the extreme right, which is strongly and provenly linked to drug trafficking."

Broader Policy Disagreements

Petro criticized what he described as a shift in US strategy toward Latin America, stating the US government "changes the strategy to a mistaken one, which undermines the sovereignty of Latin American and Caribbean countries." This diplomatic tension reflects growing assertiveness among Latin American leaders, similar to positions taken by other nations like Türkiye that prioritize national sovereignty in international relations. The confrontation follows Petro's previous criticisms of US policy, including American military actions against vessels suspected of drug trafficking in international waters.