Colombia sends armed forces to the border with Venezuela

President Gustavo Petro says Colombia rejects US aggression against Venezuela’s sovereignty amid concern about the flow of refugees

Colombia mobilized its armed forces following US attacks on neighboring Venezuela. President Gustavo Petro said Colombia is concerned about refugees fleeing the country after the attacks.

Petro published on X that his government held a national security meeting in which it was decided that forces should be sent to the border amid a potential “massive influx” of people leaving Venezuela.

He also called for an emergency session of the UN Security Council.

Petro stated: “The government of Colombia rejects aggression against the sovereignty of Venezuela and Latin America.”

Colombian President Gustavo Petro called an emergency session of the UN Security Council. | Carlos Ortega/EPA

Donald Trump claimed that the US “captured” Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, and removed them from the country after airstrikes overnight.

Explosions rocked the capital, Caracas, before dawn on Saturday, with the Venezuelan government claiming the US had launched a series of attacks against civilian and military targets.

Maduro’s vice president, Delcy Rodríguez, told state television that the whereabouts of the president and his wife were unknown and asked Trump for proof they were alive.

The Cuban president classified the attacks on Venezuela as “criminal” and called for a firm response from the international community.

Cuba has had a conflictual relationship with the US for a long time, since the Cold War. Currently, the country is subject to an economic embargo imposed by the USA. President Miguel Díaz-Canel stated that the US is responsible for “state terrorism against the Venezuelan people”.

Russia and Iran also voiced their objections. The Russian Foreign Ministry said it was an “unacceptable violation of the sovereignty of an independent state.”

The government of Guyana, a neighboring country, said it was monitoring the situation, which was a cause for “serious concern” for the entire region.

The president of Argentina, Javier Milei, an ally of Donald Trump, said: “Freedom advances! Long live freedom!”

Planes fly over Caracas at low altitude as explosions hit the Venezuelan capital – video

The Spanish government offered to mediate the conflict between the United States and Venezuela, while the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs called for de-escalation and respect for international law. In a statement, a spokesperson said: “Spain calls for de-escalation and restraint, and for actions to be conducted in accordance with international law and the principles of the UN Charter.”

“In this sense, Spain is prepared to offer its good offices to achieve a peaceful and negotiated solution to the current crisis.”

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said Italy was following developments as around 160,000 Italians live in Venezuela. Tajani said Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni was being kept informed.

However, the German Foreign Ministry said a crisis team would meet this Saturday. A written communication seen by Reuters indicated that Germany was in close contact with the embassy in Caracas.

The vice-president of the European Commission, Kaja Kallas, joined the calls for moderation and respect for international law.

Kallas said he had spoken with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the EU ambassador to Venezuela. “The EU has repeatedly declared that Maduro lacks legitimacy and advocated a peaceful transition. In all circumstances, the principles of international law and the UN Charter must be respected. We call for restraint,” she said.

Dr. Christopher Sabatini, senior fellow for Latin America at think tank Chatham House, said the attacks were not a surprise and were “almost inevitable” given that the past six months had not led to Maduro’s removal.

He said: “To date, it appears that the US has focused on essential military infrastructure: Fort Tiuna, an unoccupied military barracks, several airfields and bases. Will this be enough to bring about regime change? Or will it be necessary to continue? Frankly, while some US special operations forces may land in Venezuela to support targeted attacks, a full military invasion is unlikely. Can these attacks continue indefinitely?”

“According to polls, American citizens oppose the use of U.S. military forces in Venezuela. And any attack inside Venezuela now would likely force a vote in Congress under the War Powers Act.”

“But even if there is regime change — and it’s not at all clear that even if it happens, it will be democratic — U.S. military action will likely require some kind of continued U.S. involvement. Will the Trump White House have the stomach for that?”

Originally published by The Guardian on 03/01/2026

By Harry Taylor