US President Donald Trump issued stark warnings to the leaders of Colombia, Mexico and Cuba following the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by US forces, signalling that the operation could mark the beginning of a wider regional confrontation in Latin America.
Speaking from his Mar-a-Lago resort and in a televised interview, Trump defended the military action as essential to regional stability, energy security and US strategic interests. At the same time, he launched personal and political attacks against Latin American leaders who criticised the intervention, accusing them of corruption, criminal ties and hostility toward Washington.
Axios: Hours after the U.S. invaded Venezuela and captured Maduro, Donald Trump sent a warning to Mexico, Cuba, and Colombia that they could be next. pic.twitter.com/rbOSGPX43u
— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) January 3, 2026
Trump reserved his strongest language for Colombian President Gustavo Petro, a vocal opponent of the US operation in Venezuela. The president accused Petro of enabling cocaine production and trafficking into the United States, warning him to watch his back and suggesting that Colombia’s leadership was complicit in organised crime.
Turning to Mexico, Trump questioned the authority of President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, claiming that drug cartels, rather than the Mexican government, control the country. Although he described Sheinbaum as a good woman, Trump insisted that “the cartels are running Mexico,” adding ominously that “something’s going to have to be done.”
Trump sends warnings to governments of Mexico, Cuba, and Colombia that their countries could be next, hours after capturing Maduro. pic.twitter.com/8xrssfsEoB
— Cyprian, Is Nyakundi (@C_NyaKundiH) January 4, 2026
The remarks triggered immediate backlash across the region. Mexico strongly condemned the military action against Maduro, calling on Washington to halt what it described as aggression against Venezuela’s government and people. Petro has previously denounced the operation as an assault on Latin American sovereignty.
Trump also singled out Cuba, calling it a failing nation and suggesting that Havana could face increased US pressure due to its alliance with Caracas. Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed the warning, saying Cuban officials should be “concerned.”
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Framing the administration’s posture as strategic and economic, Trump said the US sought stability, reliable neighbours and protection of Venezuela’s vast energy resources following Maduro’s transfer to a New York prison.
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