Colombian Petro promises to defend his homeland despite Trump’s threats | Conflict News

The president criticizes Trump, calling U.S. threats undue interference in Colombia’s internal affairs under international law.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro said he would “take up arms” for his country if necessary, while the United States handles it. threats against him and its government.

In a social media post Monday, Petro, a left-wing veteran, said any violent U.S. intervention in Colombia, such as the one carried out in Venezuela over the weekend, would provoke a response.

“I swore I wouldn’t touch a gun again,” Petro said. “But for the homeland, I will take up arms again.”

Petro has become a vocal critic of the American president. Donald Trumpwho threatened Colombia with possible military strikes in the name of the fight against drug trafficking.

The two leaders have frequently exchanged insults, but Trump’s threats have become increasingly hostile in recent days.

The US president said this weekend that Petro should “watch his butt” after the attack. kidnapping of the Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduroan act widely considered illegal by international law scholars. Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Trump said a similar operation against Petro’s government “sounds good to me.”

“Colombia is also very sick, run by a sick man, who likes to make cocaine and sell it to the United States, and he’s not going to do that for very long,” Trump said.

Colombia’s Foreign Ministry denounced Trump’s remarks as “undue interference in the country’s internal affairs, contrary to the norms of international law.”

Trump has accused Petro of facilitating drug trafficking into the United States, a claim for which there is no evidence and which is strongly denied by Petro, who says his government has worked to combat drug production while moving away from the militarized approach to the war on drugs.

“I have enormous confidence in my people,” Petro said. “And that is why I have asked the people to defend the president against any unlawful acts of violence against him.”