Colombian President Gustavo Petro launched a scathing critique against U.S. leader Donald Trump on Tuesday, accusing him of having a "senile brain" after Trump labeled him a "narcotics outlaw."
In the latest chapter of the ongoing verbal clash between the two leaders, Petro responded, "The title Trump gives me as a narcotics outlaw is just a reflection of his senile brain."
This retort followed a New York court session where the alleged Cartel of the Suns was not mentioned during proceedings against Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.
"I am the one who has consistently stated: there is no evidence supporting the existence of a 'Cartel of the Suns' in the drug trade. It's clear they apprehended Maduro to seize Venezuela's oil, echoing their Monroe Doctrine," Petro emphasized in a lengthy post on X.
He further commented, "Colombia lacks oil and gas but possesses coal," highlighting that if coal reserves from Colombia were extracted alongside Venezuela's oil reserves, it would create a "spectacle of death akin to the Roman bullfights in Hispania."
"He sees true libertarians as narco-terrorists because we refuse to hand over our coal and oil," Petro remarked on X, addressing Trump directly.
The Colombian president's reaction came after Trump, when questioned by journalists, made dismissive comments about the Bogota government, suggesting that Colombia, much like Venezuela, is "very sick" and might face a similar intervention to that which ended in Maduro's capture on January 3rd.
Trump explicitly stated that the idea "sounds good" when considering such an intervention.
Petro asserted that rising tensions with Washington stem from his administration's opposition to what he terms the "irrationality of capitalism," which he believes drives the United States to prioritize economic interests over the sovereignty of other nations.
"They want to turn us into colonies. To kill humanity is to kill their own children," Petro added in another message, describing Trump's allegations as an attempt to justify undue pressure on his government.
The conflict between Petro and Trump is not new. Petro frequently counters attacks from the U.S. president, recently accusing him of being "misinformed" about the reality in South America.
Since 2025, the U.S. administration has accused the Colombian president of allowing cocaine production to rise, sanctioning him and his associates while suspending some anti-drug aid and threatening harsher measures if the fight against drug trafficking isn't intensified.
The strain with Washington fits into a broader regional tension following the U.S. military operation in Venezuela that resulted in Maduro's capture, heightening frictions between Bogota, Caracas, and Washington.
Meanwhile, Petro has called for mobilizations "for sovereignty" in response to what he views as illegitimate threats from abroad.
Understanding the Petro-Trump Conflict
Why did Gustavo Petro criticize Donald Trump?
Petro criticized Trump for labeling him a "narcotics outlaw," calling this a reflection of Trump's "senile brain."
What is the "Cartel of the Suns" Petro refers to?
The "Cartel of the Suns" is an alleged drug trafficking group associated with Venezuelan officials, which Petro claims lacks evidence of existence.
How has the U.S. administration responded to Petro's policies?
The U.S. has accused Petro of allowing cocaine production to rise, sanctioning him and his allies, while threatening stricter measures if the fight against drug trafficking is not intensified.