Colombian President Gustavo Petro has issued a stark warning to US President Donald Trump, cautioning that his comments could "wake the jaguar". This follows Trump's assertion that countries producing drugs for the US could face military action. The remarks were made during a cabinet meeting where Trump indicated that military strikes on land targets in Venezuela would commence soon.

When discussing the drug trade, Trump specifically mentioned Colombia, stating, "I hear Colombia, the country of Colombia, is making cocaine," and added that anyone involved in selling drugs to the US is "subject to attack".

In response, President Petro took to social media to defend Colombia's sovereignty, declaring, "To threaten our sovereignty is to declare war; do not damage two centuries of diplomatic relations." He further invited Trump to visit Colombia, suggesting, "Come to Colombia, Mr. Trump, I invite you, so that you can participate in the destruction of the 9 laboratories we do daily to prevent cocaine from reaching the US."

Colombia has been a long-standing ally of the US in its efforts to combat drug trafficking. It is the largest producer of cocaine globally, with the majority of the drug being smuggled through Mexico or Central America before reaching the US. The escalating rhetoric from the Trump administration marks a significant intensification of the US's "war on drugs" in Latin America, which has been ramped up since August.