Colombian President Gustavo Petro called for a nationwide mobilization Wednesday and urged citizens to “defend sovereignty,” in response to statements by U.S. President Donald Trump that left open the possibility of military intervention. Photo by Carlos Ortega/EPA
Jan. 6 (UPI) — Colombian President Gustavo Petro has called for a nationwide mobilization Wednesday and urged citizens to “defend sovereignty,” responding to statements by the U.S. President Donald Trump that in Colombia have been widely interpreted as threats of intervention and direct attacks against the head of state.
The call, posted by Petro on X and echoed by government officials and political allies, urges rallies in public squares across the country starting at 4 p.m. local time, with the main protest planned for Bogota’s Plaza de Bolivar, the historic square that houses Colombia’s main government institutions. Petro said he will address the crowd.
The escalation follows remarks by Trump in which he referred to Petro in disparaging terms, accused him of backing drug production and left open the possibility of military action, according to reports by Colombian media.
In recent comments, Trump said a military operation against Colombia “sounds good,” following a U.S. military incursion in Venezuela. He also accused Petro of links to drug trafficking and said Colombia is “very sick.”
Petro publicly rejected the accusations and framed the dispute as a matter of national sovereignty. He said he would carefully assess the scope of Trump’s words before issuing a broader response but insisted that dialogue should be “the first path” and defended the legitimacy of his government.
“Although I have not been a soldier, I know about war and clandestinity. I swore not to touch a weapon again after the 1989 peace pact, but for the homeland, I would take up arms again, which I do not want,” Petro wrote, referring to the agreement that led to the demobilization of the M-19 guerrilla movement in which he once participated.
“I am not illegitimate, nor am I a drug trafficker. I own only my family home, which I am still paying for with my salary. My bank statements have been made public. No one has been able to say I have spent more than my salary. I am not greedy,” he added.
Separately, Colombia’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement after remarks attributed to Trump on Sunday and said it rejects what it considers unacceptable interference in matters of sovereignty and bilateral relations.
Vice President Francia Marquez joined those describing Trump’s statements as “threats” and called on Colombians to defend national sovereignty, according to local radio reports.
Demonstrations planned for Wednesday are expected in cities including Bogota, Medellin, Cali, Bucaramanga, Cartagena and Santa Marta, with calls to gather in central squares.
Petro described the protests as “peaceful” and urged Colombians to fly the national flag at their homes and bring it to public squares, El Espectador reported. He warned of the risks of military escalation and reiterated that the armed forces must follow their constitutional mandate to defend sovereignty.
The episode unfolds amid regional upheaval linked to Venezuela’s crisis and rising diplomatic tensions in Latin America.
According to daily El Tiempo, the situation has pushed Petro’s government to return to street mobilization as a political tool while Bogota seeks to manage relations with Washington without losing internal control.