In the midst of the growing diplomatic tension between Colombia and the United States, President Gustavo Petro called for a national demonstration for sovereignty next Wednesday, following the recent statements by US President Donald Trump and the capture of Nicolás Maduro in Caracas during a military operation.

Through his account on

“On Wednesday we will see each other in all the squares of Colombia, at 4 pm. Now to defend national sovereignty,” the president wrote.

Petro confirmed that he will participate directly in the rally called in the Plaza de Bolívar in Bogotá, from where he announced that he will address the Colombian people.

Crossing of statements with Trump

The call comes after President Donald Trump made strong statements against Colombia and its government. On Sunday, aboard Air Force One, Trump stated that Colombia would be “ruled by a sick man who likes to make cocaine and sell it to the United States.”

When asked by journalists about the possibility of US intervention in Colombian territory, Trump responded bluntly: “That sounds good to me.”

These statements generated an immediate reaction from President Petro, who rejected the accusations and described his counterpart’s words as an illegitimate threat against national sovereignty.

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In a lengthy statement, Petro recalled his past as a member of the M-19 and assured that, although he renounced weapons after the 1989 peace agreement, he does not rule out assuming an active defense of the country if foreign aggression occurs.

“Although I have not been a soldier, I know about war and clandestinity. I swore not to touch another weapon since the 1989 peace pact, but for the country I will take again the weapons I do not want,” he stated.

Call for citizen support

Petro reiterated that he trusts in the support of the Colombian people and pointed out that the national mobilization seeks to send a clear message against any attempt at foreign intervention.

“The way to defend myself is for the people to take power in all the municipalities of the country. The order to the public force is not to shoot the people but to shoot the invader.”he expressed.

The call occurs in a tense international context, marked by recent military operations in Venezuela and the arrest of Nicolás Maduro.

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