Trump signals potential U.S. moves against Latin American states

U.S. President Donald Trump on Jan. 4 criticized Colombia, a neighbor of Venezuela with which the United States has clashed over drug issues. He told reporters on his plane returning from Mar-a-Lago in Florida to the White House in Washington, “A sick man, Gustavo Petro, who loves making cocaine for the U.S., is in charge. He will not last long.” When asked whether he would pursue a military operation in Colombia similar to Venezuela, he said, “Sounds good to me.”

The remarks came a day after a controversial operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, which sparked debate over sovereignty violations and international law. They suggested the possibility of further U.S. military action against anti-American governments in Latin America and reflected Trump’s intent to assert U.S. dominance in the Western Hemisphere.

Trump also criticized Cuba, another anti-American country, saying, "It appears to be on the verge of collapse.” On Mexico, he warned, “Through Mexico, they (drug cartels) are pouring into the U.S. Something must be done,” emphasizing the need for measures to curb drug trafficking.

On Venezuela, Trump threatened, “If they don’t act properly, there will be a second strike.” When asked who is currently managing Venezuela’s government, he said, “We are in charge.” He added, “We need full access to their oil and everything that will allow us to rebuild the country.”

The remarks were widely interpreted as signaling U.S. plans to prioritize the interests of American oil companies that suffered under Maduro and previous leftist Venezuelan governments’ nationalization of oil facilities, effectively giving the United States control over the reconstruction of the country’s petroleum infrastructure.

On the same day, Trump reiterated his intention to acquire Greenland in an interview with The Atlantic. He said, “We need Greenland. We need it for defense,” repeating his previous assertion that the territory should become part of the United States.


Jin-Woo Shin niceshin@donga.com