‘Watch your…': Trump warns Colombia president Gustavo Petro after capturing Venezuela's Maduro

President Donald Trump on Saturday warned Colombian President Gustavo Petro to “watch his a**” following a US military operation that led to the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife. Trump also alleged manufacturing of cocaine in Columbia and its transport to the United States.

“He's making cocaine and they're sending it into the United States, so he does have to watch his ass,” Trump was quoted as saying by HT, where he was referring to Petro, with whom he has repeatedly clashed in recent months.

The US President's remarks came shortly after Washington carried out strikes in Venezuela on Saturday, 3 January, followed by the arrest of Maduro who was taken into custody and flown to New York.

Maduro and Venezuelan First Lady Cilia Flores are expected to face court proceedings as early as Monday on charges including narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy and weapons offenses.

In the meantime, Trump also announced that the United States would temporarily take control of the country.

The dramatic move marks a major escalation in tensions between the two countries and has triggered sharp reactions across Latin America, with several leaders condemning the action, including Colombian President Gustavo Petro.

Petro condemns the attack, calling it an ‘assault on sovereignty’

Within a few hours of the US attack, Colombian President Gustavo Petro released a statement on social media, in which he strongly criticised Washington’s actions.

He called the US operations an “assault on the sovereignty” of Latin America that could trigger a humanitarian crisis.

In a statement post on X, Petro said his government convened a national security meeting before dawn on Saturday and deployed security forces to the Colombia–Venezuela border in preparation for what he warned could be a “massive influx of refugees” from neighbouring Venezuela.

He also said Colombia would push for international action, calling on the United Nations Security Council to address what he described as “the aggression against the sovereignty of Venezuela and of Latin America.”

US Security Council to meet on Monday

In view of the situation, the United Nations Security Council has decided to meet on Monday, with an aim to discuss the US operation, according to the Somali presidency of the Council.

The emergency meeting, which is scheduled for 10:00 am local time (1500 GMT) on 5 January, was requested by Venezuela and relayed by Colombia, diplomatic sources told AFP.

Columbia is not the only country who condemned the attack, Saturday’s operation drew criticism from various countries, including Russia. The Russian foreign ministry denounced what it called an “act of armed aggression” and warned of the need to avoid further escalation.

North Korea also strongly condemned the capture of Maduro, calling it a “serious encroachment of sovereignty”, state media was quoted as saying by AFP. In a statement, North Korea said the capture of Maduro confirms the “rogue and brutal” nature of the United States.