BOGOTA, Colombia

Colombian President Gustavo Petro on Tuesday rejected the possibility of Colombia's territory being used for a military intervention in Venezuela, stating it "will not lend its territory to an invasion by any neighboring country."

"Colombia will not lend its territory to an invasion by any neighboring country or its citizens," Petro said in a speech.

During the inauguration of the Amazon Center for International Police Cooperation in Manaus, Petro addressed the growing tensions between the US and Venezuela, calling for a regional political solution.

He insisted that the attack by US military vessels on a Venezuelan civilian boat in the Caribbean, which he said was allegedly carrying drugs and left 11 people dead, must be treated as murder.

Petro warned that if South American countries do not protest such an act, they could suffer the consequences in the future.

"Latin America, which owns the Caribbean, cannot tolerate this and remain silent, because then the bombs will fall on Bogota, Rio de Janeiro, Manaus, and other cities in the region," Petro stated.

The US has deployed eight military vessels with missiles and a nuclear-powered submarine to the Caribbean and last week ordered F-35 fighter jets to be sent to an air base in Puerto Rico.

In response to the US naval presence, Venezuela has moved its own ships, enlisted millions of militiamen, and deployed a "special resource" of military presence in five regions of the country located on the Caribbean and Atlantic coasts.

Addressing Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Ecuadorian Vice President Maria Jose Pinto, Petro said in Manaus that Latin American countries may be distant and politically divergent, but they must unite to help Venezuela resolve its crisis.

"It's time to talk, and I invite you to seek a group of South American countries to once again promote political dialogue in Venezuela. Because the Venezuelan people must unite to resolve their problems in the face of the threat of invasion," he stated.

The Colombian president also reiterated his proposal to strengthen the unity of South American countries, even suggesting that South America adopt the name Amazonia to underline the region's shared identity.

US President Donald Trump has justified the current US naval deployment in the Caribbean as a measure to curb drug trafficking. Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez said Monday that her country is not a significant hub for drug trafficking, suggesting the US' intentions are different from what it claims.