Colombia criticizes US military buildup and warns of intervention against Venezuela

(Patria) - Colombia on Friday sharply condemned the "excessive" US military presence in the Caribbean as destabilizing for all of Latin America, a sharp criticism from one of Washington's oldest regional allies, AFP reported.

Foreign Minister Rosa Villavicencio told AFP that the US deployment of several warships off Venezuela was "disproportionate" and that the threat of military intervention was shaking the region.

"Venezuela is, of course, concerned, as is the entire region, about the possibility of intervention," she said.

"Such an excessive military presence in the region is not justified."

The top Colombian diplomat directly rejected President Donald Trump's claims that the warships, submarine, and F-35 fighter jet squadron were there to combat drug trafficking.

"This has nothing to do with the fight against drug trafficking," she insisted, reiterating
concerns that the United States might be planning an attack on Venezuela, or even to overthrow President Nicolas Maduro.

Trump says US forces "destroyed" three speedboats allegedly carrying drugs and drug traffickers. At least fourteen people, whom he described as "narco-terrorists," are believed to have died.

Venezuela has accused the United States of waging an "undeclared war" in the Caribbean.

Villavicencio said these attacks were likely illegal and insisted that any suspects
should be captured, not killed. "This does not look like a legal way to prosecute illegal groups," she said.

Strained relations

The minister's comments open another front in the increasingly difficult relations between Washington and Bogota.

This week, Washington blacklisted Colombia for what it called flawed anti-drug efforts.

Over the past decades, the United States has sent billions of dollars in aid to the south to help fight cartels, guerrillas, and paramilitaries who all profit from the ultra-lucrative drug trade.

The blacklisting calls into question future cooperation, although an immediate cessation of cooperation has been ruled out. The deterioration of relations between the United States and Colombia has been fueled by personal and political animosity between Trump and left-wing President Gustavo Petro.

The two leaders have clashed fiercely on social media, exchanging threats of sanctions and insults over immigration policy.

Villavicencio claimed that Trump's blacklisting was "obviously a political decision, in order to condemn President (Petro)".

"We will not change our policy," she said.

US officials say Colombian cocaine trafficking has flourished under Petro, who has sought to negotiate with armed groups and avoid conflict.