Bogotá: Colombian President Gustavo Petro announced on Saturday that he has directed the deployment of military and security forces to the border with Venezuela in response to U.S. military strikes on the neighboring country, which President Donald Trump claims resulted in the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.
The leftist leader condemned the U.S. actions as a violation of Latin American sovereignty, warning that they could trigger a severe humanitarian crisis.
Although he advocated for resolving the conflict through dialogue, Petro posted on X about ordering the mobilization of security forces along the border.
Notably, Petro avoided any direct reference to Maduro’s alleged capture, even though the Venezuelan president has been a key regional ally for his administration.
Earlier, Petro demanded an urgent convening of the Organization of American States (OAS) and the United Nations to assess the legality of what he called U.S. “aggression.” Colombia, currently holding a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council, pushed for the council to address the issue.
Petro has previously criticized U.S. military operations in the Caribbean linked to Trump’s anti-drug trafficking efforts.
In additional social media updates, he stated that steps have been taken to maintain border stability. An AFP journalist reported calm conditions at the primary border crossing between the two nations.
Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez confirmed that security forces have mobilized all resources to counter potential threats, including terrorist attacks by armed groups like the National Liberation Army (ELN).
Trump’s broader anti-narcotics campaign recently included threats of strikes on drug labs in Colombia itself, which Petro at the time denounced as an invasion risk.
