President Trump and President Gustavo Petro have escalated the tone of their war of words, further raising strains between the two countries following US forces targeted Venezuela in an operation to oust President Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He runs cocaine mills and cocaine factories and is not going to be doing it very long," the US president stated.
Escalating Threats coupled with Allegations
Speaking to reporters over the weekend, the US president suggested comparable armed intervention towards the South American nation, stating Colombia is “very sick too” and led by a problematic figure who enjoys creating the drug and selling it to America."
While Colombia stands as the world’s largest cocaine-producing country, no proof exists that President Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is directly involved in the business.
A Strained Relationship
This nation for decades served as a close partner of the United States in the fight against narcotics trade and received bipartisan support from American politicians, however, the relationship have worsened markedly since Trump was elected.
Its narcotics trade is mainly overseen by criminal organizations like one major cartel, the ELN guerrilla group and renegade units of the demobilized Farc, most of its former fighters disbanded following a landmark accord.
Petro's Defiant Response
In response to a query if military intervention similar to Venezuela was on the cards for Colombia, Trump said: "It sounds good to me."
President Petro, an ex-guerrilla fighter who demobilised in the 1990s, rejected Trump's claims. "I am not illegitimate and certainly not involved in narcotics," he declared.
"The US president speaks without information. Stop slandering me," he posted online.
"If they [the US] bomb rural communities, they will turn into thousands of guerrillas in the mountains. And if they detain the nation's leader, which a large part of Colombians holds in high esteem, they will unleash the ‘jaguar’ of the people," the president cautioned.
From Insurgent to Leader
The president dedicated part of his youth as a member of the leftist M-19 guerrilla group but is not believed that he never participated in combat. After demobilizing, he took part in creating a new constitution in the early 90s subsequently becoming a respected lawmaker. He held the office of mayor of Bogotá before winning the presidency.
"I pledged to never again hold a weapon again ... but for the homeland I would take up arms again," he said.
Reinforced Protection along with Cross-Political Rejection
Minister Pedro Sánchez announced that the national leader's protection team had received additional support.
A segment of Colombia’s right wing opposition have sided with Trump's stance, but voices from all sides of the political spectrum have condemned the threats of a US attack against their nation.
Diplomatic and Economic Pressure
Washington revoked his travel authorization subsequent to he urged American soldiers to ignore orders that violate law. Later, in October, authorities imposed economic restrictions on Petro, his spouse and several close collaborators.
Simultaneously as the US increased its forces near Venezuela and targeting vessels thought to carry drugs to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets executed strikes on maritime targets in Pacific waters near Colombia.
