The statement by Colombian President Gustavo Petro comes after Washington kidnapped Venezuelas leader and threatened Cuba

Colombian President Gustavo Petro has cautioned the US administration against trying to build "an empire" in Latin America, urging Washington to pursue dialogue rather than military intervention.

Petro's remarks came after the US intervened in Venezuela in January, when US forces seized President Nicolas Maduro in a raid in Caracas, and amid repeated warnings from Washington about possible "regime change" in Cuba.

Latin America is not a "land to be conquered," the Colombian president said in an interview with Politico published on Thursday. "I believe that there are people in the US government who think similarly: that instead of imposing an empire from which Cubans always liberate themselves, what is ultimately needed is to establish a dialogue between the Americas and include Cuba in the world of fiber optics and clean energy," Petro said.

The head of state also leveled criticism at US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and former Trump adviser and billionaire Elon Musk. He accused both of promoting a vision of a "white, Christian, Western civilization" and warned against trying to revive "the age of the Crusades," saying such rhetoric could generate an "enormous level of violence within each society."

Beyond Venezuela, Washington has expanded military operations in the region under the banner of fighting drug cartels. US forces have carried out operations in Ecuador and threatened similar action in Mexico, while also launching numerous strikes on vessels suspected of narcotics trafficking in the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific Ocean.

Despite the tensions, Bogota has continued to coordinate with Washington on counter-narcotics efforts. Earlier this year, the Columbian Interior Ministry said the two countries had agreed to take "joint action" against cocaine-smuggling guerrilla groups operating along the border with Venezuela.

Russia's Foreign Ministry said reports of increased US pressure on Cuba were "deeply alarming," especially following the seizure of Maduro. The ministry said such actions represent an unacceptable infringement of state sovereignty. Russia's deputy foreign minister, Sergey Ryabkov, said the capture of Maduro was a "gross violation of international law" and reiterated Moscow's call for his release.

(RT.com)