In an immediate reaction to the United States air offensive on Venezuelan territory, President Gustavo Petro expressed his energetic rejection of what he described as an “aggression against sovereignty.” After leading an emergency National Security Council that began at 3:00 am, the Colombian president outlined his government’s roadmap in the face of the crisis.

Border shielding and humanitarian assistance

Given the possibility of a mass exodus resulting from the attacks, Petro announced the immediate deployment of the Public Force at the border points. However, he emphasized that the priority will be human attention:

Assistance force: All logistical capacity has been made available to receive refugees in the event of a massive entry along international trails and bridges.

Protection of fellow nationals: The Colombian Embassy in Venezuela remains on permanent and active alert to provide assistance to Colombians residing in the neighboring country who are affected by the situation.

Defense of sovereignty and diplomatic channels

The Colombian president was emphatic in defending the principle of self-determination of peoples, the basis of the United Nations system.

“Internal conflicts between peoples are resolved by the people themselves in peace,” stated the president, reaffirming that Colombia, in its capacity as a member of the UN Security Council, will seek to convene said body urgently to stop the escalation of war.

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A call for civil dialogue

For Petro, the solution does not lie in external intervention, but in Venezuelan national unity. Its central proposal is summarized in “dialogue and more dialogue,” inviting the Venezuelan people to find civil ways to resolve their differences, under the premise that “without sovereignty there is no nation.”

Current situation: While Colombian troops reinforce surveillance in departments such as Norte de Santander and Arauca, the Nariño Palace maintains communication with other regional leaders to consolidate a joint position against US military action.

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The decisions that Petro made after the bombing of Venezuela and the capture of Maduro

We just finished national security council from 3 am.

The public force is deployed at the border, all the assistance force that we have available is deployed in the event of a massive entry of refugees.

The Colombian embassy in Venezuela is active on calls from…

— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) January 3, 2026