Khaberni - Colombian President Gustavo Petro has called on Latin American countries to establish a joint army to enhance the fight against drug traffickers.
Petro said in a post on his X platform account on Friday that the United States uses drug trafficking organizations as a pretext to occupy the region.
Petro pointed to the damage caused by drug trafficking gangs, saying "those involved in the drug trade have become a perfect pretext for attacking the region."
"Latin American armies must come together to remove this pretext which benefits none of our countries," he continued.
Petro emphasized the need to establish a joint Latin American army to disarm drug gangs.
He stressed that Latin America must defend itself against a party that destabilizes it, and this requires unity of its people, armed forces, and countries.
Controversy and Accusations
On January 3rd, the American military launched an attack on Venezuela, resulting in the deaths and arrest of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, leading to their extradition to the United States, in violation of international law, according to experts.
American President Donald Trump announced that his country would manage Venezuelan affairs during a transition period and would send its companies to invest in the Venezuelan oil sector, without specifying a timeline.
In New York, during the first session of his trial which was met with widespread international condemnation, Maduro denied the charges against him, including "leading a corrupt government" and "collaborating with drug traffickers," considering himself a prisoner of war.
Delcy Rodriguez, Maduro's deputy, assumed the temporary presidency of Venezuela on January 5th, after her swearing-in in Parliament.
The Colombian president has been in a dispute with Trump since his return to the White House in January 2025.
Petro has strongly criticized the American military deployment in the Caribbean, which began by targeting boats suspected of being used in drug trafficking, before expanding to the seizure of Venezuelan oil tankers, and culminating in an attack on the Venezuelan capital Caracas.
In turn, the American president has accused his Colombian counterpart of involvement in drug trafficking and has imposed financial sanctions on him and his family members.
