Trump warns: After Venezuela, Colombia is next, Cuba is ready to fall

2026-01-05 07:43:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

US President Donald Trump has sent fresh shockwaves across Latin America, using harsh language against Colombian President Gustavo Petro and signaling that Cuba is approaching a turning point, following the US operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro.

Trump has been sharply critical of Petro's policies, particularly on drug enforcement and cocaine exports. He argued that Colombia's current government has failed to control the problem and warned that "decisive" pressure could follow if the situation does not improve.

Trump said Cuba's government is facing a crisis of confidence and severe economic problems, adding that Cuba appears to be ready to collapse, signaling that the US may intensify pressure in pursuit of political change on the island.

The remarks underscored Trump's tough foreign policy toward left-wing governments in South America, raising the risk that U.S.-Latin American relations could return to peak levels of tension.

Trump called Colombia a "sick" country and described Petro as a "sick man," accusing him of being involved in the production and export of cocaine to the United States, and adding that "he won't be doing this for much longer."

Although Venezuela's supreme court appointed Delcy Rodríguez as interim president, Trump said the United States is now effectively in charge of Venezuela.

The fact that the US captured the leader of another country and then immediately threatened the president of Colombia marks one of the most aggressive shifts in US foreign policy rhetoric in decades, raising fears of conflict or a major realignment of power in South America. /CNA