Colombia's President Gustavo Petro
Colombian President Gustavo Petro

Colombian President Gustavo Petro proposed having Colombian forces cooperate with their Venezuelan counterparts and others in the region. He said they would be able to fight drug-trafficking more effectively, but the proposal comes as the two governments face increased pressure from the Trump administration.

"This is not defending (authoritarian President Nicolas) Maduro who, as you said, violates human rights. There are Colombians there who are imprisoned and we have asked for them to be here," Petro claimed.

He went on to say that the purpose is "defending the order and the spirit that Simon Bolivar gave to these republics." Therefore, he added, "we need to integrate policies, Venezuelan and Colombian intelligence, as well as the Ecuadorean, the Amazon jungle, Peru and Bolivia," Petro said.

In another passage of his message, Petro criticized the Trump administration's deployment in the Caribbean, claiming they are "part of a plan against Latin America." He has been repeatedly clashing with President Donald Trump, a rift that escalated during the weekend.

Trump said on Sunday that his administration will impose tariffs on Colombian exports and cut financial assistance to the country.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on his return to Washington from Mar-a-Lago, Trump said he would formally announce the new trade measures on Monday. He then accused Colombia of failing to combat drug production, calling the country "a drug manufacturing machine" and asserting that it "has the worst president they've ever had." "He's a lunatic."

Earlier, Trump labeled Petro "a drug-trafficking leader" who encourages mass coca cultivation and "does nothing to stop it despite large-scale U.S. payments and subsidies." He said those transfers would end immediately, writing, "As of today, these payments, or any other form of payment or subsidy, will no longer be made to Colombia."

On Friday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said that a U.S. operation destroyed a boat linked to Colombia's National Liberation Army (ELN), though he provided no evidence. The Colombian government has disputed those claims, saying the vessel carried civilians.

Petro responded on social media, rejecting Trump's accusations and defending his government's anti-narcotics policies. "Trying to promote peace in Colombia is not being a drug trafficker," he wrote, calling Trump "rude and ignorant toward Colombia" and asserting that he is "the main enemy of drugs" in his country.

Colombia's Foreign Ministry condemned Trump's remarks as "a direct threat to national sovereignty," while Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez said Colombian forces "have used all their capability and lost men and women fighting drug trafficking."

Originally published on Latin Times