Greenland parties reject US bid for takeover

Washington pushes hard on Venezuela

NUUK/WASHINGTON:

Greenland's political parties issued a rare united rebuke to Washington after US President Donald Trump again suggested using force to seize the mineral-rich Danish autonomous territory, triggering alarm in Europe and highlighting a broader, increasingly muscular US posture across multiple regions.

The leaders of all five parties in Greenland's parliament said they rejected rule by either Washington or Copenhagen, insisting the island's future must be decided by Greenlanders alone, without pressure, interference or hasty decisions imposed by outside powers.

Trump said the United States would "do something on Greenland, whether they like it or not", arguing control of the strategically located Arctic island was vital for US national security amid rising Russian and Chinese military activity in the region.

Denmark and its European allies reacted with shock, scrambling diplomatically as Trump refused to rule out military action after again floating the idea of buying Greenland, a proposal first raised during his previous presidency and firmly rejected.

Greenland, a former Danish colony that gained home rule in 1979, has been steadily moving towards eventual independence, though opinion is divided on timing, with the governing coalition opposing haste and the Naleraq opposition party urging faster separation.

A poll published by Danish agency Ritzau said more than 38% of Danes believe the United States could launch an invasion of Greenland under Trump, underscoring anxiety over rhetoric that Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen warned could end NATO itself.

Trump attempted to soften his tone towards Denmark while dismissing historical claims, saying a landing "500 years ago" did not confer ownership, even as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio prepared talks with Danish and Greenlandic officials.

The Greenland crisis has unfolded as Trump presses aggressively elsewhere, most notably in Venezuela, where he pitched the country's vast oil reserves directly to US energy executives following the capture of President Nicolas Maduro by US forces.

Trump told oil chiefs the US government, not Caracas, would decide which companies operate in Venezuela, promising "total security" and signalling Washington would cut deals directly, effectively sidelining Venezuelan authorities from control of their resources.

Major firms responded cautiously, with ExxonMobil's chief calling Venezuela "uninvestable" without sweeping reforms, citing past asset seizures, while analysts warned that decayed infrastructure, political uncertainty and heavy crude complicate any rapid revival. The administration claims at least $100 billion could be invested and says Washington will control Venezuela's oil industry "indefinitely", even as interim authorities insist they remain in charge and negotiations continue behind closed doors.

Trump's Latin America push has also reshaped relations with Colombia, where he announced President Gustavo Petro will visit the White House in February, signalling a thaw after threats, visa suspensions and sharp rhetoric over drugs and deportations.

The shift came days after Trump warned Petro to "watch" his back over criticism of the Venezuela operation, reflecting a pattern of confrontation followed by pragmatic recalibration, similar to Trump's earlier reconciliation with Brazil's president.

In Bolivia, US drug enforcement officials returned for the first time since 2008, joining aerial surveys over coca-growing regions as the new Bolivian administration sought closer cooperation, drawing criticism from coca producers accusing the government of acting as a US proxy.

US pressure has extended to Cuba, where intelligence assessments described a grim economic picture marked by blackouts, sanctions and strain, though stopping short of endorsing Trump's claim that Havana is "ready to fall" after Venezuela's oil flows were redirected.