Gustavo Petro, the President of Colombia and leader of the Socialist Party, recently made a dramatic statement on social media. In the early hours, he suggested he might “take up arms” if necessary to confront President Donald Trump, whom he accused of sending “unwarranted threats” to Bogotá.
Petro, who has ties to the now-defunct M19 guerrilla group known for violence, has often highlighted his previous affiliation. The M19 was responsible for numerous deaths in Colombia, most notably during the infamous 1985 siege that led to nearly 100 fatalities, including 11 members of the Supreme Court. This background is part of his public persona.
His remarks seem to be a direct reaction to Trump’s criticisms, made during a press briefing on Sunday. Trump labeled Petro a “sick man” and accused him of being involved in the cocaine trade, reinforcing his previous claims about Petro’s alleged drug-related activities.
“He’s got cocaine mills, cocaine factories. It’s not going to last very long,” Trump stated, his words gaining more significance following the U.S. military’s recent operation to arrest former Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife for extradition to face charges in New York. Petro has been known to support Maduro’s administration and advocate for cocaine legalization.
Trump’s statements aligned with earlier comments made at a press conference regarding Maduro’s capture, where he suggested that Petro profits from a “cocaine factory” and warned him to “watch his butt.”
In a Twitter essay, Petro addressed what he called “Trump’s unwarranted threats,” indicating that he would respond “at an unspecified later date.” He then shifted his focus to countering allegations of intimidation.
Petro claimed responsibility for “the largest seizure of cocaine” ever, which, while true, became a point of concern as global cocaine production reached new highs since he took office in 2022. He also emphasized his past with the M19.
“My movement, M19, once a rebel group, eventually won significant political support after disarmament,” he reflected, but the implication felt slightly off, considering the group’s violent history.
He warned Trump, saying, “If you detain a president that many Americans love, you will unleash a national jaguar.” This was quite the imagery, wasn’t it?
Petro further mentioned, “I’m not a soldier, but I know war and covert operations.” He recalled a peace agreement from 1989, asserting that he had vowed never to bear arms again, although he seems to be hinting at a willingness to do so.
“I’m not an illegal immigrant or a drug addict. I only have my family home and pay for it with my salary,” Petro declared, trying to make his point about transparency in his finances. Yet, he inadvertently stirred controversy when he revealed his lavish spending abroad, notably during an outing to a strip club in Lisbon.
His Twitter thread urged Colombians to step up if Trump opts for a Maduro-esque extraction of power. “I trust the people,” he stated, asserting that mobilizing at the municipal level is key to safeguarding him from violence.
On another note, Petro tweeted late Sunday about Maduro’s character. He remarked, “We don’t know if he’s good or bad, or a drug trafficker,” while awkwardly noting Maduro’s legal troubles in Colombia, which he dismissed as rumors from opposition figures.
Since 2018, Petro has recognized Maduro as Venezuela’s president despite ongoing controversies regarding his legitimacy. Following a contentious election that barred true opposition from participating, the Venezuelan legislature deemed it a “break in the democratic order,” a situation that repeated itself during another election in 2024.
