Washington, Dec 12 (LatestNewsX) – Tensions flared in the Western Hemisphere when former President Donald Trump lambasted Colombian President Gustavo Petro over drug‑trafficking concerns, prompting Petro to offer an unexpected invitation for a visit.
During a White House briefing, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked about Trump’s jibe that the Colombian leader must “better wise up or he’s going to be next,” a reference to crackdowns on global narcotics networks. Leavitt replied that she had just learned of Petro’s invitation and would “let the President speak directly to it.”
Concerning Trump’s warning, Leavitt said the President had taken issue with “alarming and frankly insulting things” Petro said about the United States. “The President does not like it,” she added.
The remarks come as Trump pushes to strengthen operations against drug cartels across the hemisphere. Leavitt underscored that “stopping the flow of illegal drugs into the United States” remains a top priority, citing the millions of lives claimed by narcotics.
She noted that Trump vowed to “demolish the foreign terrorist organizations and drug cartels around the world, especially right here in our own hemisphere,” and that his administration is “delivering on that promise.”
The briefing also referenced Venezuela, where U.S. forces seized a tanker carrying sanctioned oil believed to be linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Leavitt emphasized the administration’s commitment to “effectuating… sanction policy” and pledged not to let “black market oil” fund criminal or rogue regimes.
Petro’s unexpected invitation highlights a nuanced diplomatic juncture. Though Colombia has long cooperated with Washington on anti‑narcotics operations, the president has occasionally criticized Trump’s policies, advocating for alternatives to entrenched militarized approaches.
India maintains security collaboration with both the United States and Latin American governments on narcotics interdiction. New Delhi actively tracks shifts in U.S. drug‑interdiction strategies, as they shape global trafficking routes—including maritime corridors that increasingly intersect with Indian enforcement efforts.
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