Washington/Palm Beach, Florida – U.S. President Donald Trump, during a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago residence on January 3, 2026, delivered pointed warnings to Colombian President Gustavo Petro and signaled potential future focus on Cuba, hours after announcing the successful U.S. military operation that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores.
When asked about Petro's statement expressing no concern over repercussions from the Venezuela strikes, Trump accused the Colombian leader of overseeing cocaine production: "He has cocaine mills. He has factories where he makes cocaine," Trump said, adding that "they’re sending it into the United States." He reiterated, "So he does have to watch his a--," emphasizing his prior warnings amid escalating U.S. pressure on Colombia over surging cocaine output.
Trump's remarks build on longstanding tensions, including U.S. aid cuts to Colombia in late 2025 over record cocaine production levels—estimated at 1,700 metric tons in 2024 by the United Nations—and sanctions on Petro and his family. Petro, a leftist leader and former critic of U.S. policies, had condemned the Venezuela operation as a violation of international law, prompting Trump's retort.
On Cuba, Trump described the island as "a failing nation" plagued by decades of economic collapse and suffering under its communist government. "The people there have suffered for many, many years, and I think Cuba is going to be something we'll end up talking about," he stated. Trump expressed intent to aid Cubans on the island while supporting the large Cuban exile community in Florida, a key political base known for strong anti-regime sentiments.
Flanking Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio—a Cuban-American from Miami—sharpened the critique: "Cuba is a disaster. It’s run by incompetent, senile men, and in some cases, not senile, but incompetent." Rubio highlighted alleged deep Cuban involvement in Venezuela's security apparatus: "All the guards that helped protect Maduro—this is well known—their whole spy agency, all of that, were full of Cubans. I mean, they basically, it’s amazing, this poor island took over Venezuela in some cases." He added that one of Venezuela's primary challenges is to "declare independence from Cuba."
These comments underscore the administration's broader hemispheric strategy, framing the Maduro capture as a signal to regional adversaries involved in drug trafficking or aligned with anti-U.S. regimes. Cuba has long provided security and intelligence support to Venezuela in exchange for oil, ties that U.S. officials portray as colonial-like control.
The press conference followed Trump's announcement of Operation Absolute Resolve, involving airstrikes and a raid that extracted Maduro and Flores to New York for narco-terrorism charges. Trump reiterated U.S. plans to temporarily "run" Venezuela during a transition, focusing on revitalizing oil infrastructure with American companies.
Regional fallout intensified. Colombia deployed forces to its border amid refugee fears, while Cuba denounced the Venezuela action as "criminal." Analysts note Trump's rhetoric risks further straining alliances, with Petro's government rejecting unsubstantiated drug accusations and Cuba viewing the warnings as threats to its sovereignty.
Domestically, the remarks resonate with Republican hawks and Florida's Cuban-American community but draw criticism from Democrats over inflammatory language and potential escalation. International observers warn of heightened instability in Latin America, already grappling with migration, drugs, and political divisions.
As Maduro awaits arraignment, Trump's warnings position the U.S. as assertive against perceived threats in the Western Hemisphere, echoing historical interventions while prioritizing energy security and anti-narcotics efforts.
