Colombian President Rejects His Territory To Be Used For Invasion Of Venezuela

Colombian President Gustavo Petro/PHOTO via Instagram @gustavopetrourrego

JAKARTA - Colombian President Gustavo Petro insists his country will not allow its territory to be used for military intervention to Venezuela.

"Colombia will not lend its territory to an invasion by any neighboring country or its citizens," Petro said in a speech at the inauguration of the Amazon Center for International Police Cooperation in Manaus, Brazil.

He also called for a political settlement in the region amid rising tensions between the United States and Venezuela.

Petro insists the US warship's attack on Venezuelan civilian ships in the Caribbean, which is suspected of carrying drugs and killing 11 people, should be treated as murder.

He warned that if South American countries did not protest against the US action, they could experience similar actions.

"Latin America, which owns the Caribbean, should not remain silent. If we remain silent, then bombs could fall in Bogota, Rio de Janeiro, Manaus, and other cities in the region," Petro said.

The US has deployed eight missile-armed warships, a nuclear-powered submarine, and F-35 fighter jets to the Puerto Rico airbase.

In retaliation, Venezuela deployed warships, millions of militias, and special forces in five coastal areas of the Caribbean and Atlantic.

Speaking in front of Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Ecuadorian Vice President Maria Jose Pinto at the event, Petro stressed the importance of South America being united to help Venezuela get out of the crisis.

"This is the moment to talk. I invite South American countries to form a group that is re-promoting political dialogue in Venezuela. Venezuelan people must unite to face the threat of invasion," Petro said.

He again pushed for the idea of strengthening regional unity, even proposing Amazonia's name to assert shared identity in South America.

US President Donald Trump previously said that the deployment of the US military in the Caribbean was to fight drugs.

However, Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez emphasized that her country is not a drug trafficking center and considers US intentions to be different from her claims.