Colombia has deployed new troops along its border with Venezuela following a night of US strikes in the Bolivarian Republic. Colombian President Gustavo Petro announced last night on X.com that military forces are being deployed along the border as a response to the potential consequences of the U.S. military operation a few hours ago.
On the night of Friday 2nd to Saturday 3rd, the U.S. carried massive strikes on military bases inside Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, covering a special operation that reportedly led to the capture of contested president Nicolas Maduro and his wife. The Venezuelan leader was wanted under an arrest warrant in the U.S. on drug trafficking charges.
Colombia deploys troops along its border with Venezuela
“Public security forces are being deployed along the border, and all available humanitarian assistance is being mobilized in the event of a mass influx of refugees,” declared President Gustavo Petro, as usual, through his X.com account.
In an earlier post, President Petro had already announced that “As a preventive measure, the national government has put in place steps to protect the civilian population, preserve stability along the Colombia–Venezuela border, and promptly address any potential humanitarian or migratory needs, in coordination with local authorities and the relevant agencies.”
The prospect of an U.S. intervention on Venezuelan soil is deeply worrying the Colombian government, as it would mean a new wave of refugees a few months ahead of Colombia’s legislative and presidential elections.
While Secretary of State Marco Rubio reportedly declared that the capture of Maduro would stop any U.S. land operation in Venezuela, the country is not immune to further violence as the end of Maduro’s rule could mean unrest and even armed conflict between his opponents and the Chavista regime. In any cases, Colombia could face another influx of refugees, while it already hosts around three million Venezuelans.
Acabamos de terminar consejo de seguridad nacional desde las 3 am.
— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) January 3, 2026
Se despliega la fuerza pública en la frontera, se despliega toda la fuerza asistencial que dispongamos en caso de entrada masiva de refugiados.
La embajada de Colombia en Venezuela está activa a llamadas de…
Colombia’s troop deployment comes amid this tense context, as President Petro looks for a diplomatic and peaceful crisis resolution. “Internal conflicts among peoples must be resolved by the peoples themselves, peacefully. That is the principle of self-determination of peoples, which is the foundation of the United Nations system,” he declared on X.com, calling for Venezuelans to engage into dialogue rather than confrontation. “I call on the Venezuelan people to find paths toward civil dialogue and unity. […] Dialogue, and more dialogue, is our proposal,” urging “all parties involved to refrain from actions that would deepen the confrontation and to prioritize dialogue and diplomatic channels.”
The Colombian president has also condemned the U.S. military operation and exposed the country’s position in this sense: “Colombia reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, in particular respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states, the prohibition of the use or threat of force, and the peaceful settlement of international disputes.”
President Petro announced that he would seek to summon the UN Security Council, as Colombia has once again taken its seat as a non-permanent member since January 1.
Related: Colombia Declares State of Emergency Over Venezuela Situation.