Colombian President Gustavo Petro taunted U.S. counterparts Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio as the two parties continue to exchange threats following the capture of Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro.
During a public address during the weekend, he particularly took aim at Rubio, saying: "If you want to put me in prison, try if you can. Try to get me in an orange jumpsuit. The Colombian people will come out in my defense. These people won't kneel before you. No Colombian is guilty of what happened to your grandfather or your father in Cuba," he claimed.
🇨🇴🚨🚨🚨🚨 URGENTE:
— Misión cumplida (@ojocolombia2026) January 4, 2026
PETRO reta a Donald TRUMP y le dice:
" Si me quiere meter preso inténtelo a ver si puede, si me quiere poner el uniforme naranja intentelo, pero el pueblo colombiano saldrá a defenderme"
Usted saldrá a las calles a dar su vida para defender a PETRO ❓ pic.twitter.com/8WQYxslvNS
Petro also posted on social media that he "deeply rejects" Trump's "lies" about him. "You don't threat a Latin American president who began with the armed fight and then fought for peace for the Colombian people."
In another passage of the post he said he "learned not to be a slave" and rejects his phrase "unilaterally claiming us as your domain." "We, the Latin American people, are republicans and independent, as well as revolutionary. Don't think Latin America is just a nest of criminals who poison your people. Respect us and read our history, I read yours to understand you. Don't see drug-traffickers where there are only genuine warriors of democracy and freedom," he added.
However, Trump escalated the matters further on Sunday night, saying he could be the next one to fall after Maduro.
Speaking to press aboard the Air Force One, Trump said the South American country is "run by a sick man who likes making cocaine and selling it to the U.S., and he's not going to be doing it very long," adding that the country has "cocaine mills and factories." Asked if there will be a U.S. operation in Colombia, Trump replied: "Sounds good to me."
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