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.
