Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro has said there is now a serious risk of US military action against his country, warning that Washington’s recent rhetoric and operations are pushing relations into dangerous territory. In an interview with the BBC, Petro said the United States was increasingly behaving like an “empire” toward Latin America and could end up becoming isolated internationally if it continued on its current path.
His comments came after US President Donald Trump said a military operation in Colombia “sounds good”, following recent US strikes in Venezuela and the capture of Nicolás Maduro. Petro said such statements could not be taken lightly, recalling Colombia’s past loss of territory and describing the remarks as a “real threat” to national sovereignty.
The two leaders spoke by phone on Wednesday, with Trump later describing the exchange as an honour and suggesting he would meet Petro soon at the White House. Colombian officials initially portrayed the call as a turning point in bilateral relations. However, Petro indicated that the conversation, which lasted less than an hour, had focused mainly on drug trafficking and regional politics and had not significantly eased tensions.
Petro also sharply criticised US immigration enforcement, accusing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents of behaving like “Nazi brigades”. His remarks followed the fatal shooting of a US citizen during an ICE operation in Minneapolis, which triggered protests and a dispute between federal authorities and the city’s mayor. Petro said the agency had gone beyond targeting migrants and was now endangering US citizens as well.
The Trump administration has expanded ICE operations nationwide, saying it is acting against crime and illegal immigration. US authorities say more than 600,000 people were deported between January and December 2025, while nearly two million others left the country voluntarily under an intensive public campaign. About 65,000 people were being held in ICE detention as of late November.
Washington has also intensified its anti-drug campaign in the region. The US military says it has carried out more than 30 strikes in recent months against vessels linked to drug trafficking in the Caribbean and the Pacific. Trump has indicated that these operations could now extend onto land, arguing that criminal cartels dominate large parts of the drug trade.
Petro rejected claims that Colombia was failing to tackle trafficking, noting that he has spent decades fighting cartels, even at the cost of his family being forced into exile. A former guerrilla fighter, he has pursued a “total peace” policy since taking office, combining negotiations with armed groups and military action against those who refuse to engage. While critics argue this approach has coincided with record cocaine production, Petro insists that coca cultivation is beginning to slow and that violence is declining in key regions.
On Venezuela, Petro said the country had long been the target of foreign intelligence interference and confirmed that he had spoken to acting president Delcy Rodríguez and invited her to Colombia. He warned against covert operations in the region and said any foreign intelligence activity in Colombia should be limited strictly to fighting drug trafficking.
Despite his strong words, Petro said Colombia would prefer dialogue over confrontation. He acknowledged that the country lacks the military capacity to face a major power but said its history showed it could resist large armies through popular mobilisation and its difficult terrain. “The best option is still to talk,” he said, adding that ongoing discussions could help defuse the crisis.
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