Donald Trump and his Colombian counterpart have turned up the volume in their verbal conflict, further raising tensions between the two countries after American military units attacked Venezuela in an operation to oust Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He runs narcotics facilities and cocaine factories and is not going to be doing it very long," the US president stated.
Growing Rhetoric and Accusations
Speaking to the press over the weekend, the American leader threatened similar use of force against Colombia, asserting the country is “very sick too” and “run by an unwell individual involved in producing narcotics and distributing it to America."
Although Colombia stands as the world’s largest source of the narcotic, authorities have found no indication that President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is in any way involved in the trade.
A Deteriorating Relationship
The country has long been a close partner of the US in the fight against drug trafficking and benefited from cross-party backing in the US capital, however, the relationship have worsened significantly after Trump assumed the presidency.
Colombia’s illicit drug economy is mainly overseen by illegal armed groups such as the Clan del Golfo, the ELN guerrilla group and renegade units of the demobilized Farc, most of its former fighters demobilised after a 2016 peace deal.
Colombia's Firm Rebuttal
When asked whether military intervention similar to Venezuela was on the cards regarding Colombia, Trump replied: "That seems like a good idea to me."
Petro, an ex-guerrilla fighter who demobilised in the last century, firmly denied the accusations. "I am not illegitimate and I am not involved in narcotics," he stated.
"Trump speaks uninformed. Cease defaming me," he expressed in a message.
"If US bombs target peasants, they will become thousands of guerrillas across the countryside. And should they arrest me, which a significant portion of the country holds in high esteem, they will unleash the fierce spirit of the people," Petro warned.
From Fighter to Leader
The president dedicated a period in his early life participating with the radical M-19 armed organization although reports indicate he did not engaged in fighting. Upon leaving the group, he was involved in creating the constitutional rewrite over three decades ago and later became an influential politician. He held the office of mayor of Bogotá before winning the nation's highest office.
"I pledged to never again hold arms again ... but for Colombia I would take up the fight," he said.
Heightened Measures and Cross-Political Opposition
Minister Pedro Sánchez announced that the national leader's personal security had received additional support.
Several members of Colombia’s political right have expressed support with Trump, but voices spanning the political spectrum have rejected the notion of American military action against their nation.
Political and Financial Sanctions
American authorities withdrew Petro’s visa subsequent to he urged US troops to ignore unlawful commands. Months later, authorities imposed financial sanctions on Petro, his spouse and various close collaborators.
At the same time as the US increased its forces near Venezuela and striking vessels thought to carry drugs against Venezuela’s Maduro, the US also carried out strikes on maritime targets in the eastern Pacific region adjacent to Colombia.
