Colombian President Petro Claims Hurricane Melissa Is 'Defending The Caribbean' From U.S. Forces

It is the latest combative statement from Petro, who has repeatedly clashed with the Trump administration since it began amassing troops, vessels and aircraft in the region.

On Sunday, Petro lashed out at Republican Senator Lindsey Graham after he confirmed that land strikes against Venezuela and Colombia are a possibility.

Speaking to CBS News' Margaret Brennan, had Graham said President Donald Trump told him that "he plans to brief members of Congress when he gets back from Asia about future potential military operations against Venezuela and Colombia."

"So there will be a congressional briefing about a potential expanding from the sea to the land. I support that idea," he added.

Petro reacted on social media, saying Graham "forgets one thing," and it is "when the Colombian people are attacked they go to the mountains and arm themselves."

"Their warriors become invisible and act like the jaguar, with passion and invisibility. It's something unseen. Don't try, it's my only advise, because I know the history of my people and I'm one of its sons, a millenary warrior with a Roman ancestor who was in Palestine," he added.

Petro was sanctioned by the U.S. on Friday. He stands accused of failing to curb drug-trafficking and allowing cartels to "flourish."

"Since President Gustavo Petro came to power, cocaine production in Colombia has exploded to the highest rate in decades, flooding the United States and poisoning Americans," said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

Petro reacted shortly after, claiming he had in fact fought drug-trafficking "for decades and with efficiency." "It's a paradox, but we won't stand down nor be brought to our knees," he added.

The U.S., in the meantime, has continued carrying out strikes. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the latest ones took place on Monday, targeting four alleged drug vessels and killing 14 people.

"The Department of War carried out three lethal kinetic strikes on four vessels operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations (DTO) trafficking narcotics in the Eastern Pacific," Hegseth said in a social media post.

Overall, at least 57 people have been killed in the strikes carried out by U.S. forces since the campaign in the Caribbean and the Eastern Pacific began in September.