'He's making cocaine...': Trump warns Colombia President Petro after capturing Maduro, tells him to 'watch his a**' | Is he next?

US President Donald Trump on Saturday (Jan 3) has warned Colombian President Gustavo Petro to “watch his ass” after the US forces captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. This comes after Colombian President Gustavo Petro criticised Washington’s actions, describing the Trump administration's operation as an “assault on the sovereignty” of Latin America. He expressed his concern and said that could trigger a humanitarian crisis. Petro also said that his government has deployed security forces to the Colombia–Venezuela border in preparation for what he warned could be a “massive influx of refugees” from neighbouring Venezuela.

“He's making cocaine and they're sending it into the United States, so he does have to watch his ass,” Trump said at a press conference. He also said Colombia would push for international action, calling on the United Nations Security Council to address what he described as “the aggression against the sovereignty of Venezuela and of Latin America.”

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US Attacks Venezuela

In a quick and precise military operation, the US, on Saturday (Jan 3), captured Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro, in what it described as its war against drug cartels and drug lords. US forces bombed Venezuela, captured Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores from their bedroom and have brought them to New York. The first explosions were heard in the capital Caracas and surrounding areas shortly before 2:00 am (0600 GMT), continuing until around 3:15 am. The action was termed as "Operation Absolute Resolve." Though real figures for the casualties in the airstrike by the US is not known, Trump, speaking on Fox News program "Fox and Friends," boasted that no US soldiers had been killed. He later told the New York Post that "many Cubans" who were protecting Maduro had died, the first indication of casualties from the US strikes.

US strikes Venezuela LIVE updates

Addressing the media after the operation, Trump said that Washington will rule Venezuela “until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition.” Trump also said that “very large United States oil companies” would move into Venezuela to “fix the badly broken… oil infrastructure and start making money for the country”. He added that his administration’s actions “will make the people of Venezuela rich, independent and safe.”

Meanwhile on Sunday, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has arrived in New York and the Trump administration has released his first video as he is being escorted by the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) officers inside the agency's headquarters. From the DEA office, Maduro will be taken to the Metropolitan Detention Centre, a federal facility in Brooklyn, according to US media.

Also Read: US releases first video of handcuffed Nicolas Maduro in New York: What will happen to Venezuela's ex-president now