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[QUOTE="Munyaradzi Mafaro, post: 65285, member: 636"]
Colombian President Gustavo Petro has accused the United States of using an anti-drug campaign as a pretext to spark conflict in the Caribbean, claiming that Colombian citizens were killed in recent US airstrikes off the coast of Venezuela. Petro argued that the campaign is not focused on narcotics but rather on controlling regional resources. The White House dismissed his allegations as "baseless," according to Reuters.

The US has carried out airstrikes targeting suspected drug-smuggling vessels near Venezuela, aiming to combat narcotics trafficking. Washington has long accused Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro of ties to drug cartels, which Maduro denies, claiming the strikes are part of an effort to overthrow him.

Petro stated that evidence showed one of the recent vessels bombed was Colombian, with Colombian nationals aboard. He labeled the US campaign as a "war for oil," calling the attacks an "aggression against all of Latin America and the Caribbean."

Historically, Colombia has been a key US ally in South America, especially through Plan Colombia, which granted US forces access to Colombian bases. However, Petro’s election in 2022 marked a shift toward restoring relations with Venezuela and pursuing a more independent foreign policy.
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