Colombian President Petro Questions U.S. Trial of Maduro, Calls for Him To Be Brought Back To Venezuela: 'They Have to Return Him'

Colombian President Gustavo Petro said Nicolás Maduro should be returned to Venezuela to face trial in his home country, challenging the legitimacy of judicial proceedings against the former Venezuelan leader in the United States. "They have to return him and have him judged by a Venezuelan court, not a U.S. court," Petro said in Bogotá.

El presidente de Colombia, Gustavo Petro, quien la próxima semana se reunirá con el presidente Donald Trump en Washington, aseguró que Estados Unidos “tiene que devolver” a Nicolás maduro, preso en ese país. “Para que lo juzgue un tribunal venezolano, no estadounidense. Porque la… pic.twitter.com/UY6hrmaAt7

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Petro also criticized the U.S. military operation that led to Maduro's capture, arguing that "bombing Caracas, the homeland of Bolívar, is not an act against Maduro" but one against Venezuela itself. He went on to question the use of force to resolve political disputes in the region and warned that such actions leave a lasting historical mark:

"How could they do that? Bomb the homeland of Bolívar. That mark will not be against Maduro, even if he dies in a U.S. prison. That mark is historical and will never be forgotten"

The White House, through Deputy press secretary Anna Kelly, rejected Petro's assessment telling France 24 that Maduro "was a fugitive from U.S. justice who was arrested for narco-terrorism and conspiracy against the United States," adding that he will now "answer for crimes against U.S. citizens." She said President Donald Trump had pledged to stop drug trafficking and criminal networks linked to Maduro's government.

Petro made the remarks in the context of broader criticism of the international order and multilateral institutions, arguing that global conflicts should not be addressed through military intervention but through what he described as a vision of "human brotherhood." He has previously described Maduro's arrest during the Jan. 3 U.S. operation in Caracas as a "kidnapping" and denounced Washington's intervention in Venezuelan territory.

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The statements come days before Petro is scheduled to meet Trump at the White House on Feb. 3, amid efforts by both governments to ease tensions after a period of strained relations. Petro's U.S. visa had previously been revoked following his participation in a pro-Palestinian protest in New York, but he was later granted a temporary permit for the visit.

Relations between Bogotá and Washington have deteriorated since Trump began his second term in 2025, with disputes over Venezuela, migration, and counter-narcotics cooperation.

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