Following statements by the President of the United States, Donald Trump, the President of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, called on supporters to mobilize this Wednesday (7) in Bogotá and other cities in the country. The act was announced as a demonstration “for sovereignty and democracy”, amid increased diplomatic tensions with the White House following the American military operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of dictator Nicolás Maduro.
According to information released by the Colombian government, the demonstrations are scheduled for 4 pm (local time) and will have Plaza de Bolívar as its main stage, where Petro is expected to speak. In posts on social media, the president encouraged popular participation in response to what he classified as “external threats to the country.”
“Sovereignty is defended with life, and here we are being threatened, and Colombia is not threatened. We do not allow ourselves to be bought, we are not for sale,” Petro said in a message published on social media.
According to Chancellor Rosa Villavicencio, the government assesses that the current situation, following the intervention of the United States in Venezuela, has direct implications for the entire region. “As a government, we are aware that, in this situation, we are putting peace in the world at stake,” said the minister at a press conference.
The mobilizations should take place four days after the United States military operation in Caracas, which resulted in the arrest of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. The action was officially criticized by Bogotá.
This weekend, Trump said that Colombia is “very sick” and directly criticized the Petro government. Speaking to journalists, the American president said that the country is “governed by a sick man who likes to manufacture cocaine and sell it to the United States”, adding that this “will not last long”.
Asked whether these statements could indicate an action similar to that taken in Venezuela, Trump replied: “To me, that sounds good.”
