Gustavo Petro Vows Armed Resistance as Trump Escalates US Intervention Threats

The former guerrilla fighter is ready to pick up his rifle again. Colombian President Gustavo Petro has declared he'll personally fight if the United States stages a violent intervention in his country. This bold defiance follows a series of increasingly hostile threats from the Trump administration, signaling a volatile new chapter in inter-American relations.

Gustavo Petro Responds to Trump’s Hostile Rhetoric

In a social media post on Monday, January 5, 2026, Petro stated that any intervention similar to the recent removal of Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela would provoke an armed response. "I swore not to touch a weapon again," Petro noted, referencing his past as a leftist fighter. "But for the homeland, I will take up arms again." This escalation comes as Colombia braces for potential spillover from the political upheaval in its neighboring country.

Allegations of Drug Trafficking and International Law

U.S. President Donald Trump has ramped up his rhetoric, calling Petro a "sick man" and accusing him of facilitating cocaine trafficking to the U.S. Over the weekend, Trump suggested that a military operation against Petro's government "sounds good" to him, following the abduction of Maduro—an act many international law scholars deem illegal. However, the U.S. has provided no evidence to support the claims that Petro is directly involved in drug smuggling.

Colombia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs denounced the comments as "undue interference" in internal affairs. Petro maintains that his administration has moved away from the traditional militarized "war on drugs" toward more sustainable combat strategies. He has now called upon the Colombian people to defend the presidency from any "illegitimate violent act."