A month after the US staged a military incursion in Venezuela and abducted President Nicolás Maduro, the operation has all but faded from the news cycle. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump met with Colombian President Gustavo Petro at the White House, sparking hopes of improved relations between the two countries.
The meeting was hailed as a success, with both leaders exchanging gifts and warm words. Trump described Petro as "terrific," marking a significant shift in tone compared to their previous exchanges, which had been strained. Trump had previously warned Petro that he needed to "watch his ass" and mused about invading Colombia, but it seems that the president has put those comments behind him.
The meeting was seen as a major victory for the Trump administration, which had sought to project its dominance in the Western hemisphere. Latin American countries are now adjusting to the reality of US openness about its intentions, and Venezuela is watching with great interest as the country navigates its future under new leadership.
Delcy Rodríguez, Venezuela's interim president, has been meeting with US officials to discuss her country's future, but the details of these talks remain unclear. Last fall, Rodríguez had agreed to cooperate with the Trump administration in exchange for concessions on oil production, but the deal has yet to be finalized.
Rodríguez is a cunning politician who has managed to balance her ideological roots with pragmatism. However, some have questioned whether she will follow through on her promises and prioritize cooperation with Washington. For now, it seems that Rodríguez is playing both sides, sucking up to the US while also trying to maintain the status quo in Venezuela.
The Trump administration has made it clear that they are willing to use force if Rodríguez fails to deliver, threatening a "worse fate" than Maduro's for anyone who displeases them. The rest of Latin America is watching and waiting to see how this plays out, with most countries viewing the US actions as an ominous violation of international law.
In a recent interview, Trump took a call from Petro, using coercive diplomacy tactics to try to win over the Colombian president. This latest development has led some to question whether Petro has fully surrendered to Trump's agenda, and whether he will remain a key ally for the US in the region.
For now, it seems that Petro is on board with the Trump program, sporting a red MAGA hat at his meeting with the president. Whether this marks a permanent shift or just a temporary concession remains to be seen.
The meeting was hailed as a success, with both leaders exchanging gifts and warm words. Trump described Petro as "terrific," marking a significant shift in tone compared to their previous exchanges, which had been strained. Trump had previously warned Petro that he needed to "watch his ass" and mused about invading Colombia, but it seems that the president has put those comments behind him.
The meeting was seen as a major victory for the Trump administration, which had sought to project its dominance in the Western hemisphere. Latin American countries are now adjusting to the reality of US openness about its intentions, and Venezuela is watching with great interest as the country navigates its future under new leadership.
Delcy Rodríguez, Venezuela's interim president, has been meeting with US officials to discuss her country's future, but the details of these talks remain unclear. Last fall, Rodríguez had agreed to cooperate with the Trump administration in exchange for concessions on oil production, but the deal has yet to be finalized.
Rodríguez is a cunning politician who has managed to balance her ideological roots with pragmatism. However, some have questioned whether she will follow through on her promises and prioritize cooperation with Washington. For now, it seems that Rodríguez is playing both sides, sucking up to the US while also trying to maintain the status quo in Venezuela.
The Trump administration has made it clear that they are willing to use force if Rodríguez fails to deliver, threatening a "worse fate" than Maduro's for anyone who displeases them. The rest of Latin America is watching and waiting to see how this plays out, with most countries viewing the US actions as an ominous violation of international law.
In a recent interview, Trump took a call from Petro, using coercive diplomacy tactics to try to win over the Colombian president. This latest development has led some to question whether Petro has fully surrendered to Trump's agenda, and whether he will remain a key ally for the US in the region.
For now, it seems that Petro is on board with the Trump program, sporting a red MAGA hat at his meeting with the president. Whether this marks a permanent shift or just a temporary concession remains to be seen.
. Trump's sudden change in tone and Petro's eagerness to please just don't add up. It's all about playing both sides while maintaining the status quo... it's like they're all just playing a massive game of chess with Venezuela as the pawn 
. And what about Rodríguez, really? She's just using whoever she can to get ahead and maintain her power 
. The Trump administration's threats are just a way to keep everyone in line, making them think they have no choice but to comply... it's like they're all trapped in some kind of mastermind game 
. I'm not buying it for one second 
.
so trump thinks he's all smooth and diplomatic after those shady comments towards petro? 
but let's not forget the dude's a master of manipulation, always looking for an angle... i'm calling it now, petro's probably just playing along to save face in front of his own people. 
meanwhile, venezuela is stuck in limbo while delcy rodríguez dances around us diplomats. 
can't say i trust her one bit... this whole thing feels like a bad game of chess with the world as the board 
she's gotta be super smart to navigate this mess but at the same time, we shouldn't have to worry about us getting 'worse' just because trump's feeling threatened 
. First, we got this huge drama in Venezuela where the US basically staged a military incursion and abducted President Maduro... and now that's all but forgotten? It's like they just wanted some attention for a while and then moved on 
. I mean, I get it, politics is weird, but can't we just have some real diplomacy here instead of trying to buy people off or use coercion? It's all so shady 
. And Colombia's wearing a MAGA hat now? 
that's just wild. But for real though, Delcy Rodríguez seems like she's trying to navigate this super delicate situation. Will she play both sides or stick to her guns? It's gonna be interesting to see how all this unfolds and what it means for Venezuela and the rest of Latin America 
And those comments about invading Colombia were so harsh! I wonder if Petro has played him good or bad. Colombia seems like a big deal for the US now, hope it all works out 
. It's like, one day Trump is being all aggressive and threatening Venezuela, and the next he's being super friendly with Petro 
. I mean, Delcy Rodríguez seems like she knows how to play the game, but it's hard to trust her when Trump is threatening to use force if she doesn't cooperate 
. The whole situation just feels really shady to me...
but I have to say I'm kinda worried about Venezuela tho 
Trump's all like "we'll get you if u don't do as we say" which is just soooo not cool 
MAGA hat tho lol
meanwhile Colombia's looking all good after Trump met with Petro 
some stats show 90% of Latin Americans believe in improved relations between the two countries 
and this meeting with Petro is like a major win for the US administration 
stats say 85% of Colombians are optimistic about Petro's presidency 
Delcy Rodríguez is trying to balance her ideological roots with pragmatism, but will she follow through on her promises? 
and the rest of Latin America is watching and waiting to see how this all plays out 
. It's like they're speaking a different language or something.
. I mean, what does that even mean? Are they threatening Venezuela or Colombia? It's not clear at all.
.
And now they're talking tough to Delcy Rodríguez if she doesn't cooperate... it's like, what's the plan here? Are they expecting Venezuela to just roll over and play ball? 