The US President along with his Colombian counterpart have escalated the volume of their war of words, increasing tensions between the two countries after American military units targeted Venezuela to remove Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He operates cocaine mills and cocaine factories and that won't last much longer," the US president stated.
Rising Threats and Allegations
Speaking to the press over the weekend, Trump hinted at similar armed intervention against Colombia, asserting the nation is “very sick too” and “run by an unwell individual who likes making narcotics and trafficking it to America."
Although Colombia stands as the world’s largest source of the narcotic, authorities have found no indication implicating Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is directly involved in the trade.
A Deteriorating Alliance
Colombia for decades served as a staunch collaborator of the US in the campaign against drug trafficking and benefited from cross-party backing in Washington, yet ties have worsened dramatically since Trump was elected.
Colombia’s narcotics trade is predominantly run by criminal organizations like the Clan del Golfo, the ELN guerrilla group and renegade units of the demobilized Farc, most of its former fighters laid down arms following a historic peace agreement.
The President's Strong Answer
Upon being questioned if a military operation similar to Venezuela was a possibility for Colombia, Trump said: "I like the sound of that to me."
President Petro, an ex-guerrilla fighter who demobilised in the 1990s, categorically refuted these allegations. "I am neither an illegitimate leader and certainly not a drug trafficker," he declared.
"Trump speaks without information. Cease defaming me," he expressed in a post.
"Should American forces attack rural communities, they will become a multitude of fighters in the mountains. And should they arrest me, which a large part of the population holds in high esteem, they will release the powerful force of the populace," the president cautioned.
From Insurgent to President
Petro spent part of his youth participating of the leftist M-19 guerrilla group though it is believed that he never engaged in fighting. Upon leaving the group, he participated in creating a new constitution in the early 90s and eventually served as a respected lawmaker. He was mayor of Bogotá prior to his election the presidency.
"I pledged to never again hold arms again ... but for the homeland I shall resume arms again," he said.
Heightened Measures along with Broad Rejection
The Colombian defence minister stated that the president’s security detail had been reinforced.
A segment of Colombia’s political right have allied themselves with the US president, but voices spanning the ideological divide have denounced the notion of a US attack against their nation.
Political and Economic Sanctions
Washington withdrew his travel authorization following he called on US troops to disobey any illegal orders. Later, in October, the US enacted economic restrictions on Petro, his wife and a number of key allies.
Concurrently the US was building up its military presence in the Caribbean and bombing suspected drug boats to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, the US have also conducted operations on boats in the eastern Pacific region near Colombia.
