President Donald Trump has reinforced his strict stance on Latin America, issuing fresh threats shortly after US forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in a covert operation.
His statements follow growing international criticism over the US decision to apprehend Maduro in Caracas and transport him to America to face ‘narco-terrorism’ charges. The White House describes the move as a law enforcement action, but opponents argue it was an attempt to dismantle a hostile government and regain access to Venezuela’s substantial oil reserves for US interests.
On January 4, Trump informed reporters aboard Air Force One that the US was now ‘in charge’ of Venezuela, despite the nation’s Supreme Court designating Vice President Delcy Rodríguez as interim leader.
Trump, aged 79, further cautioned the South American country that US military forces might return if it ‘doesn’t behave’, while also targeting Colombia and Cuba with his remarks.
He criticized both Colombia and Venezuela as ‘very sick’ and accused Colombian President Gustavo Petro of overseeing a government led by ‘a sick man who likes making cocaine and selling it to the United States’.
“And he’s not going to be doing it very long. Let me tell you,” Trump added.
When questioned about the possibility of a similar operation targeting Colombia, he responded: “Sounds good to me.”
Colombian President Gustavo Petro responded by urging Trump to ‘stop slandering’ him on X and emphasized that Latin America must unite or face being ‘treated as a servant and slave’.
Trump also claimed Cuba was nearing collapse following his actions in Venezuela.
“Cuba is ready to fall. Cuba looks like it’s ready to fall,” he asserted. “Cuba now has no income. They got all of their income from Venezuela, from the Venezuelan oil. They’re not getting any of it. Cuba literally is ready to fall.”
Regarding the possibility of deploying troops to Cuba, he stated that it would not be necessary.
Finally, Trump returned his focus to Mexico, issuing a warning about the country’s need to ‘get their act together because they’re [drugs] pouring through Mexico and we’re going to have to do something’.
While acknowledging that Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum is a ‘terrific person’, he added: “But unfortunately the cartels are very strong in Mexico.”