Colombian Foreign Minister Rosa Villavicencio has sharply criticized the increasing US military Caribbean presence, warning that it is designed not to fight drug trafficking, but to isolate Latin America economically and politically.

“This military presence is a pretext that ultimately aims to isolate the region, which affects trade, and now, coupled with airspace threats, leads to a certain economic deterioration in the region,” Villavicencio said in an interview with Italian newspaper La Repubblica on Saturday.
 
Villavicencio slammed the US presence in the region as both “excessive” and “unnecessary,” warning that Washington’s actions have created economic consequences for Caribbean and Latin American countries. The foreign minister linked the escalation to broader strategic goals tied to US-Colombia relations and its influence across the hemisphere.

Venezuela targeted for oil 

When asked about the motives behind the increased pressure on Caracas, Villavicencio said that Venezuela’s vast oil reserves remain a central point of interest for Washington's fossil-fuel-based economy. She accused the Trump administration of using constructed narratives to justify possible action against the government of President Nicolas Maduro.

“Assuming that there is no other way out except resorting to force, [Trump] is trying to attack the region with a number of deliberately constructed narratives, such as the existence of the Cartel de los Soles,”
Villavicencio said.

The Cartel de los Soles, a term used by US officials to suggest a drug-trafficking network within the Venezuelan military, has been used as part of the Trump Venezuela strategy to frame Maduro as a narco-trafficker and threat.

Increasing pressure on Caracas amid global attention

In recent months, the United States has significantly bolstered its military footprint in the Caribbean, citing the fight against narcotics as the official justification. Throughout September and October, US forces destroyed multiple boats off the coast of Venezuela that were allegedly transporting drugs.

NBC previously reported that US military officials had explored targeting drug traffickers inside Venezuela, a move that would mark a serious escalation.

Although President Trump publicly claimed in early November that Washington had “no plans to go to war” with Caracas, he also simultaneously declared that “Maduro’s days were numbered.” Critics argue this contradictory messaging adds to fears of possible military intervention or covert destabilization efforts in the region.

Petro reaffirms: War for oil

Colombia's foreign minister joins a growing number of Latin American voices criticizing the US military presence in the Caribbean and its broader implications for regional sovereignty and economic stability. Questions have also been raised about Washington's true targets, with many arguing that it is oil and resources that the US seeks.

In this context, Colombian President Gustavo Petro has also accused the Trump administration of using pressure on Venezuela as a pretext to gain access to its oil reserves.

“(Oil) is at the heart of the matter,” Petro told CNN in an exclusive interview, noting that Venezuela has the largest oil reserves in the world.

“So, that’s a negotiation about oil. I believe that is (US President Donald) Trump’s logic. He’s not thinking about the democratization of Venezuela, let alone the narco-trafficking,” he added, asserting that Venezuela plays a minor role in the global drug trade.