标签： South America

In a striking diplomatic reversal, former President Donald Trump has publicly lauded Colombian leader Gustavo Petro following a previously contentious relationship. The abrupt shift occurred Wednesday evening when Trump announced via his social media platform that the two heads of state had engaged in a productive telephone conversation regarding bilateral concerns.

Trump characterized the exchange as ‘a Great Honor,’ revealing that President Petro initiated the call to address ongoing disputes, particularly surrounding narcotics trafficking and other contentious issues between the nations. The former president notably commended his counterpart’s diplomatic approach, stating he ‘appreciated his call and tone’ during their discussion.

This conciliatory gesture marks a dramatic departure from Trump’s rhetoric earlier this week, when he asserted Colombia was ‘very sick’ under Petro’s leadership and made unsubstantiated allegations regarding the president’s personal involvement in cocaine distribution to American markets. Those remarks came in response to U.S. military operations in neighboring Venezuela, with Trump suggesting potential intervention in Colombia might be warranted.

The newly announced White House invitation signals potential normalization of relations between the conservative former president and Colombia’s first leftist leader. Both parties have expressed anticipation for the forthcoming meeting, though specific dates remain unconfirmed at this time.

WASHINGTON — In a significant policy announcement, President Donald Trump has unveiled an ambitious proposal to escalate United States military expenditure to an unprecedented $1.5 trillion by 2027. The declaration, made via his Truth Social platform on Wednesday, frames this monumental budget surge as an essential response to contemporary global threats that characterize what he termed “troubled and dangerous times.”

The proposal arrives amidst a series of assertive geopolitical maneuvers by the Trump administration. These include a recent military operation aimed at apprehending Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro to face drug trafficking charges in the U.S., which has resulted in a continued massing of American forces in the Caribbean Sea. Furthermore, the President has expressed strategic interest in acquiring Greenland from Denmark for national security purposes and has hinted at potential military engagements in Colombia. Echoing this hardened stance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a stark warning concerning Cuba, indicating a period of intensified foreign policy pressure.

President Trump justified the colossal funding increase, a significant jump from the 2026 budget of $901 billion, by stating it would enable the construction of a ‘Dream Military’ to ensure national safety and security. He attributed the financial feasibility of this plan to heightened revenue streams generated by his administration’s widespread tariff policies imposed on both allied and adversarial nations since his return to office.

Concurrently, the administration has adopted a confrontational posture toward the defense industry. President Trump explicitly threatened to sever Pentagon contracts with major defense contractor Raytheon unless it ceases its stock buyback programs and redirects profits toward expanding its weapons manufacturing infrastructure. This ultimatum, delivered on social media, criticized defense firms for perceived delays in critical weapons deliveries while simultaneously rewarding investors and executives with substantial dividends and salaries.

The financial markets reacted promptly to this aggressive rhetoric, with shares of leading defense contractors like Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, and RTX Corp. (Raytheon’s parent company) experiencing notable declines. This series of announcements signals a profound shift in U.S. defense strategy, prioritizing massive budgetary expansion and demanding greater industrial capacity from private sector partners.

BOGOTÁ, Colombia — Colombian President Gustavo Petro has launched an unprecedented diplomatic offensive against the United States following its military operation to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, creating the most severe bilateral crisis in decades between the traditional allies.

The left-wing leader condemned Washington’s actions as an “abhorrent violation of Latin American sovereignty” and drew historical parallels to Nazi Germany’s 1937 bombing of Guernica, Spain. In a dramatic escalation, Petro called for street protests to defend national sovereignty and convened emergency meetings with both the United Nations and Organization of American States.

The confrontation places Colombia in an increasingly precarious position. As America’s staunchest regional partner for thirty years, Colombia now balances maintaining crucial security cooperation against Petro’s political imperative to challenge Washington. The country remains central to U.S. counternarcotics strategy as the world’s primary cocaine producer, with experts noting Colombia provides vital intelligence for Caribbean drug interdiction efforts.

Michael Shifter of the Inter-American Dialogue think tank observed: “People are trying to tell Trump: ‘Look, you can punish Petro to the extent possible, but you don’t want to punish the country. That undermines the fight against drugs and is going to be harmful for the United States.’ But Trump is completely unpredictable.”

The animosity between leaders has been brewing for months. Petro has turned back U.S. military deportation flights, criticized drug interdiction methods as “murder,” and clashed with Trump over Gaza and immigration policies. Trump has responded by revoking Petro’s visa, imposing sanctions on his administration, threatening punitive tariffs, and labeling him a “lunatic” and “international drug leader.”

Despite the rhetoric, analysts consider actual military action against Colombia—a democratic nation unlike Venezuela—highly improbable. However, Trump’s increasing militaristic language about Latin America has caused growing alarm in Bogotá. Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez sought to reassure citizens that security cooperation continues uninterrupted, noting Washington has provided approximately $14 billion in assistance over two decades.

Foreign Minister Rosa Villavicencio confirmed Colombia is pursuing diplomatic solutions while preparing for “the possibility of aggression against our country by the United States,” highlighting the nation’s “highly trained, very well prepared army” that has long received U.S. training.

In a significant reshuffle of Venezuela’s security apparatus, Interim President Delcy Rodríguez has dismissed General Javier Marcano Tábata from his command of the presidential honor guard. This move comes just days after U.S. forces conducted a dramatic raid in Caracas, capturing former President Nicolás Maduro and transporting him to New York to face narco-terrorism charges.

The presidential honor guard, responsible for the head of state’s personal security, suffered substantial casualties during the operation. While official numbers remain undisclosed, Venezuelan military sources confirm 23 fatalities, including five generals. Notably, Cuba reported 32 of its nationals killed, many believed to be embedded within Maduro’s protection detail.

Rodríguez, sworn in by the government-loyal National Assembly, faces immense pressure from Washington. President Donald Trump has demanded compliance with U.S. interests, including access to Venezuela’s vast oil reserves—the world’s largest proven stockpile. Trump explicitly threatened Rodríguez with a ‘fate worse than Maduro’s’ for non-compliance, while simultaneously claiming Venezuela would ‘turn over’ up to 50 million barrels of oil to the United States.

The interim government’s response has oscillated between defiance and conciliation. Rodríguez condemned Maduro’s capture as an ‘illegal kidnapping’ yet extended an invitation for bilateral cooperation. Analysts suggest General Marcano Tábata’s removal relates primarily to his unit’s failure to prevent Maduro’s seizure rather than his concurrent leadership of the military counterintelligence unit (DGCIM)—an organization documented by UN investigators for systematic human rights abuses including torture and sexual violence.

His replacement, Gustavo González López, formerly headed Venezuela’s national intelligence service (Sebin), which faces similar accusations of suppressing dissent through its control of Caracas’ notorious Helicoide prison. This suggests the dismissal represents a consolidation of trusted allies rather than a policy shift away from repression.

With Trump acknowledging prepared secondary strikes against remaining hardliners—including Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, who faces a $25 million U.S. bounty for alleged narco-trafficking—Rodríguez’s leadership balances domestic credibility against existential external threats. The security apparatus reorganization signals her attempt to stabilize control amid heightened vulnerability.

The Trump administration has dramatically escalated its economic campaign against Venezuela by simultaneously seizing sanctioned oil tankers and announcing plans to relax certain sanctions, effectively establishing U.S. control over the distribution of Venezuelan petroleum worldwide.

On Wednesday, U.S. authorities confirmed the seizure of two additional vessels—the Bella 1 (later renamed Marinera) in the North Atlantic and the M Sophia in the Caribbean Sea—bringing the total to at least four tankers intercepted this month. Both vessels were allegedly violating U.S. sanctions by transporting Venezuelan oil. The Bella 1 notably attempted evasion by repainting its hull with Russian flags and altering its course after the U.S. Coast Guard initiated pursuit.

Concurrently, the Energy Department unveiled plans to selectively ease sanctions, enabling the global sale of Venezuelan oil through U.S.-approved channels. The initiative will commence immediately with 30-50 million barrels, with proceeds directed to U.S.-controlled accounts at internationally recognized banks. The administration indicated these funds would be distributed to American and Venezuelan populations at its discretion.

Senior officials framed these actions as strategic measures to pressure the Maduro regime without military engagement. Vice President JD Vance stated, ‘We control the energy resources, and we tell the regime, you’re allowed to sell the oil so long as you serve America’s national interest.’ Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggested intercepted oil would be incorporated into bilateral agreements with Venezuela’s interim authorities.

The moves have drawn international criticism, with Russian officials denouncing the seizures as ‘blatant piracy’ and demanding protection for Russian crew members. Maritime intelligence firms identified both vessels as part of a ‘shadow fleet’ facilitating oil smuggling for sanctioned nations including Venezuela, Russia, and Iran.

Beyond energy controls, the administration plans to authorize equipment imports to boost Venezuela’s oil production—currently languishing at approximately 1 million barrels daily—and invest in the country’s deteriorated electricity grid to improve living conditions amid economic collapse.