ASIATODAY.ID, WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump has reignited tensions across Latin America after issuing pointed — and at times incendiary — warnings to Mexico, Colombia, and Cuba, following a US special forces operation that led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Defending the controversial military raid, Trump branded Maduro a “narco-terrorist” and dismissed regional outrage over what multiple governments have condemned as a blatant violation of Venezuelan sovereignty and international law.
Speaking on Saturday, January 3, 2026, Trump expanded his rhetoric beyond Caracas, taking direct aim at Colombian President Gustavo Petro, a vocal critic of the US operation and a perceived ally of Maduro.
“He has cocaine mills, he has factories where he makes cocaine,” Trump said.
“He does have to watch his ass,” he added, in remarks that immediately drew condemnation from regional leaders and analysts.
Trump also suggested that Cuba could soon fall under intensified US scrutiny, describing the island nation as a “failing state” and drawing parallels with Venezuela. While framing his comments as humanitarian concern, Trump hinted at broader US involvement.
“It’s very similar in the sense that we want to help the people in Cuba,” he said, “and also help those who were forced out and are now living in this country.”
Mexico Under Fire
Trump’s sharpest language was reserved for Mexico, which he claimed is effectively controlled by drug cartels.
He alleged that Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo has repeatedly rejected US offers of direct military intervention against organized crime.
“They’re running Mexico,” Trump said in a phone interview with Fox News.
“I’ve asked her many times, ‘Would you like us to take out the cartels?’ She said no. So we have to do something.”
The remarks have heightened fears of a potential expansion of US security operations beyond Venezuela, particularly under the banner of counter-narcotics enforcement.
Regional Condemnation Grows
The US military action in Venezuela has triggered widespread backlash across Latin America. Mexico, Colombia, and Cuba have all formally denounced the operation, warning that it undermines regional stability and sets a dangerous precedent.
Mexico’s Foreign Ministry said the intervention “seriously jeopardizes regional peace” and reaffirmed that Latin America and the Caribbean must remain a “zone of peace.”
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel condemned the attack as “cowardly, criminal, and treacherous,” calling for international condemnation. Colombian President Gustavo Petro expressed “deep concern” and reiterated his government’s rejection of “any unilateral military action.”
Brazil also weighed in, accusing Washington of crossing an “unacceptable line.”
A Region on Edge
With Maduro now in US custody, analysts warn that Trump’s confrontational rhetoric risks triggering a broader crisis across Latin America.
Critics argue that Washington’s increasingly militarized posture threatens to destabilize the region and erode long-standing norms of sovereignty and non-intervention.
As diplomatic tensions escalate, Latin America now faces a critical crossroads — between renewed dialogue and the possibility of a wider geopolitical confrontation driven by force rather than diplomacy. (RT)
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