• Trump threatens military action against Colombia's President Gustavo Petro.
• The comments follow a U.S. operation that captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
• Petro vows to "take up arms" if Trump proceeds with aggression.
• Relations between the U.S. and Colombia have soured under Petro's leadership.
• Trump's statements signal a broader assertive U.S. stance in Latin America.

U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened military intervention against Colombia, expressing his belief that such action "sounds good to me." His comments came after the U.S. executed an operation that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, which Trump claimed justified a similar approach towards Colombia, led by President Gustavo Petro, whom he labeled as "a sick man who likes making cocaine and selling it to the United States," according to Channel News Asia and Reuters.

In response, President Petro indicated he was ready to "take up arms," stating that any violent U.S. intervention would provoke a robust response. He reflected on his past as part of a guerrilla group and condemned Trump's threats as undue interference in Colombia's sovereignty. Petro emphasized, "I swore not to touch a weapon again... but for the homeland I will take up arms again," which highlights the tension between the two leaders, according to India Times and Al Jazeera.

Additively, Trump's threats have prompted reactions from various sectors in Colombia and other Latin American countries. Petro's government condemned Trump's statements as a violation of international law and harmful to local populations. The Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs denounced these comments as "an undue interference in the internal affairs of the country," as reported by ABC News and Channel News Asia.

In a broader context, Trump's remarks represent a revival of assertive U.S. foreign policy in Latin America, which he has termed the "Donroe Doctrine," essentially claiming a renewed right to intervene in regional matters. This stance comes amid worsening relations between the U.S. and various Latin American governments, and appears driven by a desire to control drug trafficking and counter the influence of countries like Venezuela and Cuba, according to India Times and India Times.