President Donald Trump’s public warnings to Mexico, Colombia, and Cuba following the US military operation in Venezuela mark a dramatic escalation in Washington’s posture toward Latin America. What began as a controversial special forces raid that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has now widened into a broader confrontation with multiple governments in the region, raising alarms about sovereignty, international law, and the future stability of the Western Hemisphere.

The January 3 operation, which US officials framed as a decisive blow against what Trump labeled a “narco-terrorist regime,” was immediately condemned across Latin America and beyond. But Trump’s subsequent remarks suggest that Venezuela may be only the beginning. By openly criticizing and issuing thinly veiled threats against Mexico, Colombia, and Cuba, the US president signaled a willingness to extend American military and political pressure well beyond Caracas.

Speaking to reporters while defending the Venezuela operation, Trump intensified his rhetoric against Colombian President Gustavo Petro, whom he described as a close ally of Maduro. In comments that sparked outrage in Bogotá, Trump accused Petro of presiding over cocaine production facilities, declaring bluntly that the Colombian leader “has to watch his ass.” Such language, unprecedented in its directness toward a sitting head of state from a neighboring country, underscored the confrontational tone of the administration’s approach.

Colombia has long been a strategic partner of the United States, particularly in counter-narcotics efforts. Trump’s remarks therefore struck........

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