Colombian President Petro Slams Trump As Clashes Escalate: 'He Is Not a King Here'

Colombian President Gustavo Petro again slammed U.S. counterpart Donald Trump as their clashes escalate during Washington's military deployment in the Caribbean.

Speaking to Univision, Petro said "the U.S. doesn't care about us at all, and they show it with their words."

"They treat us rudely and lie about us because they think we have to obey them. Trump said we're out of control. Out of his control! He is not a king in Colombia, we don't accept kings. He can speak with me as an equal. Giving me orders? No sir," Petro added.

The heads of state have repeatedly clashed over the past days, their feud escalating after Washington forces targeted a boat in the Caribbean that carried Colombian citizens.

Bogota announced on Monday it is recalling its ambassador to the U.S., the country's foreign minister said.

Rosa Yolanda Villavicencio Mapy said Daniel Garcia-Peña is already in Bogota, and Petro will inform about "decisions made about it" shortly.

Trump, on his end, has slammed Petro, most recently accusing his government of of failing to combat drug production. He called Colombia a drug manufacturing machine" and asserted that it "has the worst president they've ever had." "He's a lunatic," he added.

Earlier, Trump labeled Petro "a drug-trafficking leader" who encourages mass coca cultivation and "does nothing to stop it despite large-scale U.S. payments and subsidies." He said those transfers would end immediately, writing, "As of today, these payments, or any other form of payment or subsidy, will no longer be made to Colombia."

On Friday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said that a U.S. operation destroyed a boat linked to Colombia's National Liberation Army (ELN), though he provided no evidence. The Colombian government has disputed those claims, saying the vessel carried civilians.

The man in question, Jeison Obando Perez, is currently hospitalized in Bogota, according to local outlets. He is in critical condition, BBC Mundo noted. Perez is one of two survivors of the strike, which took place on October 16. The other survivor is Ecuadorean, while two other people were killed.