BREAKING: Colombian President Gustavo Petro said he would “take up arms” against the U.S. if it attacks his country after President Trump suggested Colombia could be the next target in his administration’s war on drugs.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro said he would “take up arms” against the U.S. if it attacks his country after President Trump suggested Colombia could be the next target in his administration’s war on drugs.

In a fiery post on X, Petro, a former guerrilla fighter, declared: “I swore not to touch a weapon again… but for the homeland I will take up arms again.”

He warned that U.S. aggression would “unleash the popular jaguar,” referring to widespread resistance among Colombians.The remarks came in response to Trump’s weekend statements following the U.S. capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

Trump accused Petro, without evidence, of facilitating cocaine trafficking, calling him “a sick man who likes making cocaine and selling it to the United States.” When asked if a similar military operation in Colombia was possible, Trump replied, “It sounds good to me.

“Petro rejected the accusations, defending his government’s anti-narcotics efforts, including record seizures and crop substitution programs. Colombia’s foreign ministry condemned Trump’s comments as interference in sovereign affairs.

The exchange has heightened regional fears of further U.S. interventions, straining historically close U.S.-Colombia ties amid Trump’s aggressive anti-drug campaign.