Drug allegations and military threats spark fears across Latin America
January 6, 2026: Colombian President Gustavo Petro has pushed back strongly against US President Donald Trump after sharp warnings from Washington over drug trafficking. Trump accused Petro of enabling cocaine production and cautioned him to be careful. Petro responded by calling US pressure an attack on Latin America sovereignty and warned it could trigger a humanitarian crisis.
Tensions deepened after Trump said he would not rule out military strikes on drug laboratories in Colombia. Petro condemned the remarks as a veiled threat of invasion and criticised US military deployments in the Caribbean. He argued that militarisation has failed to curb the narcotics trade and has only destabilised the region.
Trump remarks have also rattled the wider region. He spoke of sending US oil companies to Venezuela while keeping sanctions intact and said all military options remained open. Mexico and Cuba were also targeted with warnings raising fears of a tougher and more confrontational US approach in Latin America.