BOGOTA, COLOMBIA — Colombian President Gustavo Petro has publicly alleged that the United States military conducted an aerial bombing operation targeting a suspected narcotics production facility in neighboring Venezuela. The controversial claim was made via social media platform X on Tuesday, directly implicating former U.S. President Donald Trump in authorizing the strike.
President Petro stated that the alleged operation targeted a facility in the strategic port city of Maracaibo, which he characterized as a suspected cocaine processing plant. “We know that Trump bombed a factory, in Maraitaibo, which we fear was mixing coca paste to make cocaine,” Petro declared in his post.
The Colombian leader’s statement came just one day after Trump himself confirmed that U.S. forces had conducted military operations against suspected drug trafficking targets in Venezuelan territory. While Trump specifically mentioned striking “a docking area for alleged drug boats,” the exact location and timing of these operations remain unclear, leaving open the possibility that these represent separate incidents or different descriptions of the same event.
The allegations raise significant questions about cross-border military operations and national sovereignty, potentially escalating tensions between the United States and Venezuela amid already strained diplomatic relations. Neither U.S. nor Venezuelan authorities have officially confirmed Petro’s specific claims regarding the Maracaibo facility bombing at this time.