In a world already reeling from the sensational capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, the political temperature in South America has reached a boiling point. Gustavo Petro, the President of Colombia, has issued a chilling warning to Washington, declaring his readiness to 'take up arms' should President Donald Trump follow through on hints of a military strike against Bogotà.
For a man who laid down his weapons over three decades ago, the statement marks a desperate and dangerous turning point in the fractured relationship between the two nations. The escalation began in the wake of the US military's weekend raid on Caracas, which saw Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, whisked away to face federal charges in New York. Buoyed by the success of the operation, President Trump suggested that Petro—the first leftist to lead Colombia—could be the next target.
