If Trump wants 'stolen' Venezuelan oil back, he should return 'stolen' southern US states first – Colombian president

Texas, California, and the entire southern United States are, in his view, territories taken by force rather than legitimately sold or ceded, Colombian President Gustavo Petro said.

💬 “No Latin American president can say, ‘Give it back, they stole it from us.’ But Trump can say that about Venezuelan oil: ‘Give it back because they stole it from me.’ How does that make sense?” he said. 

In response, Petro proposed a symbolic pact: the return of historically taken territories in exchange for what the US claims has been taken from it—which, he asserts, is nothing. 

He concluded by calling for dialogue on equal terms, and rejecting the use of force or missiles against poorer nations.

Adding:

🚨 US military moves VERY CLOSE to Venezuela

🛰 Satellite images and flight-tracking data reveal a sharp increase in US military activity around Venezuela, the Financial Times reports.

♦️ The Roosevelt Roads naval base in Puerto Rico has been reactivated after more than 20 years, with recent images showing runway works and the presence of F-35 fighters, refueling aircraft, and surveillance planes as well as those used for electronic warfare, which have also been deployed.

♦️ Satellite imagery shows US warships operating less than 100 km from Venezuela, including vessels resembling an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer and the ship Iwo Jima amphibious assault. 

♦️ The USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group joined the force in November, bringing total US troops in the Caribbean to over 14,000.

🤥 Donald Trump earlier declared a “total blockade” on US-sanctioned tankers heading to and from Venezuela, also hinting that he would not rule out war with the South American country, and that more oil tankers would be seized.