Petro threatens war against the US to defend Nicolás Maduro's dictatorship

In a statement that has caused a political and diplomatic storm, Colombia's president, the communist Gustavo Petro, publicly instructed the Colombian Military Forces to prevent any foreign intervention in Venezuela, in an action interpreted as a direct defense of Nicolás Maduro's regime.

The announcement was made on Sunday, August 10, 2025, just hours after the United States Government doubled the reward from 25 million to 50 million dollars for information leading to the capture of the Venezuelan dictator, who is accused of drug trafficking and ties to criminal organizations.

"I publicly transmit my order, as commander of Colombia's armed forces. Colombia and Venezuela are the same people, the same flag, the same history. Any military operation that doesn't have the approval of the brother countries is an aggression against Latin America and the Caribbean," Petro stated, appealing to the Bolivarian ideology. 

Maduro surpassed Bin Laden as the most wanted criminal. 

The gesture by the Colombian president was interpreted as a direct alignment with Maduro's dictatorship, whose hold on power has been labeled illegitimate by multiple international organizations.

The tyrant faces serious accusations from the U.S. justice system. Pam Bondi, U.S. Attorney General, stated that "Maduro uses foreign terrorist organizations such as Sinaloa and the Cartel of the Suns to bring lethal drugs and violence into our country." Bondi also revealed that the DEA has seized 30 metric tons (66,139 pounds) of cocaine linked to the regime's network. 

The amount offered by Washington for capturing Maduro even surpasses the 25 million reward that was once offered for Osama Bin Laden, the mastermind behind the September 11, 2001 attacks. The amount, initially set at 15 million during Donald Trump's first administration, was raised to 25 million and now, doubled, reaching 50 million. 

Petro internationally isolates Colombia for defending a dictator. 

Petro's words provoked an immediate wave of criticism in the Colombian political arena. The Representative to the Chamber for the Radical Change party, Lina María Garrido, was one of the first to respond. On her social media, Garrido accused the president of "showing his true colors" and of putting his ideological affinity above the interests and security of the nation.

With 362 days remaining in his term, Petro's foreign policy is once again under scrutiny. The decision to openly ally with a regime accused of drug trafficking, human rights violations, and ties to organized crime leaves Colombia in a position of confrontation with the United States and raises concerns about the economic and diplomatic consequences the country could face.