Colombian president warns US against any attempt to detain him

Colombian President Gustavo Petro on January 5 warned that any attempt to detain him would provoke a strong public reaction, as he rejected remarks by US President Donald Trump and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and reaffirmed Colombia’s sovereignty and his constitutional authority.

“And if you detain the president—whom a large part of my people loves and respects—you will unleash the popular jaguar,” Petro said on X, Caliber.Az reports.

¡Atención!

Aquí los gobiernos de la mayoría de la población Latinoamérica y del Caribe nos expresamos conjuntamente: pic.twitter.com/2yTtw0IzcP

— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) January 4, 2026

Petro’s comments came amid heightened regional tensions following US raid on Venezuela on January 3, in which Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and the first lady were captured and later flown to New York.

In his remarks, Petro underscored that under Colombia’s 1991 Constitution, the president is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces and the national police. He noted that the constitution was drafted after the demobilisation of the M-19 guerrilla movement, of which he was once a member, and its participation in a democratically elected Constituent Assembly.

Addressing criticism of his government’s anti-narcotics policy and allegations questioning his legitimacy, Petro rejected claims that he was involved in drug trafficking or that his presidency was illegitimate. He said his finances were transparent and consisted solely of his presidential salary.

“I am not illegitimate, nor am I a narco,” he said.

Although he is not a career military officer, Petro said his personal experience of Colombia’s armed conflict informed his commitment to peace. He added, however, that he would defend the country if required.

“I swore never to touch a weapon again after the 1989 peace pact, but for the homeland I will take up arms again—arms I do not want,” he said.

By Sabina Mammadli