Colombian President Gustavo Petro issued a bold challenge to U.S. official Marco Rubio, accusing him of meddling in Colombia's internal affairs and attempting to have him imprisoned.
"If you're going to lock me up, let's see if you can," Petro declared in front of a crowd of young people at the unveiling of the first educational multicampus in La Sultana neighborhood, located in eastern Cali.
Displaying a defiant tone, the Colombian leader openly questioned the warnings from the Republican politician, who is known for his hardline stance against leftist governments in Latin America.
"So I have to tell Mr. Marco Rubio, my friend, if you're going to imprison me, let's see if you can. If you want to put me in the... how do you say it? The orange jumpsuit? Try it. But this nation will not kneel," he said.
With his statement, met with applause from his supporters, Petro not only countered Rubio's recent comments but also sought to convey a message of political resistance amidst the pre-election tension in a nation that has endured decades of conflict and division.
Background of Tensions and Accusations
Petro went further by referencing Rubio's Cuban heritage: "His past grudges, which I am unaware of, nor is any Colombian responsible for what happened to his grandfather or father in Cuba."
The President's remarks followed a report by El Tiempo, which disclosed that Petro had alleged a plot to sway Colombian politics from the United States. According to the newspaper, he claimed that several national leaders traveled to Washington to meet with Rubio, suggesting that he was allied with drug trafficking, aiming to create external pressure against him.
Petro named specific individuals: Cali Mayor Alejandro Eder, Medellín Mayor Federico Gutiérrez, journalist and presidential hopeful Vicky Dávila, and former Foreign Minister Álvaro Leyva. He asserted they were part of a strategy to influence President Donald Trump through Rubio.
"Tell the president of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) that their money won't enter Colombian elections. The people of Colombia are not for sale," Petro warned.
The President accused the U.S.-backed IDB of preparing credit lines to fund local campaigns and buy votes with food and basic goods—"tamales, roasted pork, bicycles, roofing sheets"—a tactic he likened to paramilitary methods.
"We're entering a phase of debt-driven politics... whoever pays that credit, whether it's the citizen or the municipality, ends up indebted. That's what a coup d'état looks like."
Recently, Cambio magazine published documents, purportedly from the office of Republican Congressman Bernie Moreno. The leak included an image of Moreno and Trump holding a folder with a cover generated by artificial intelligence, depicting Petro in a prisoner's uniform alongside Nicolás Maduro.
Insight into the Petro-Rubio Conflict
What prompted Gustavo Petro's challenge to Marco Rubio?
Gustavo Petro challenged Marco Rubio due to accusations of U.S. interference in Colombia's politics and attempts to have Petro imprisoned.
How did Petro respond to Rubio's alleged actions?
Petro responded with defiance, challenging Rubio to try imprisoning him and asserting that Colombia will not bow down to external pressures.
What are the accusations against the Inter-American Development Bank?
Petro accused the IDB of planning to finance local campaigns and vote-buying in Colombia, likening these practices to paramilitary methods.