The US President and President Gustavo Petro have turned up the rhetoric in their verbal conflict, increasing tensions between the two countries after American military units attacked Venezuela in an operation to oust the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He has narcotics facilities and production sites and his time is running out," Trump remarked.
Escalating Rhetoric coupled with Accusations
Speaking to the press over the weekend, the US president threatened similar armed intervention against Bogotá, asserting the nation is also "very ill" and “run by an unwell individual who likes making narcotics and trafficking it to the US."
Although Colombia remains the globe's biggest cocaine-producing country, there is no evidence implicating Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is directly connected to the business.
A Strained Partnership
The country was historically a key ally of Washington in the struggle combating drug cartels and enjoyed cross-party backing in Washington, yet ties have deteriorated markedly since Trump came to office.
Its drug trade is predominantly run by criminal organizations such as one major cartel, the ELN guerrilla group and renegade units of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), most of its former fighters demobilised following a landmark accord.
The President's Defiant Answer
When asked whether armed intervention comparable to Venezuela was a possibility regarding Colombia, Trump replied: "I like the sound of that to me personally."
The Colombian leader, a former leftist guerrilla who demobilised decades ago, categorically refuted Trump's claims. "I am not illegitimate and certainly not a narco," he stated.
"Trump speaks without knowledge. Cease defaming me," he expressed in a message.
"If US bombs target rural communities, they will become numerous insurgents across the countryside. If they capture me, which a large part of Colombians holds in high esteem, they will provoke the ‘jaguar’ of the people," he admonished.
From Fighter to Statesman
He passed some years as a young man as a member of the leftist M-19 insurgent movement though it is believed he did not engaged in fighting. Following his disarmament, he took part in writing the constitutional rewrite in 1991 and eventually served as a respected lawmaker. He held the office of mayor of the Colombian capital before being elected president.
"I swore to abstain from using a gun ... but for the homeland I shall resume weapons once more," he said.
Reinforced Protection and Broad Opposition
Colombia's defense chief reported that the president’s security detail had received additional support.
Many among Colombia’s right wing opposition have sided with Trump, however, leaders spanning the ideological divide have denounced the notion of a US attack on Colombia.
Bilateral and Economic Strains
The US cancelled Petro’s visa after he called on American soldiers to refuse unlawful commands. In October, it placed financial sanctions on Petro, his wife and a number of associates.
At the same time the US was building up its troop levels in the Caribbean and striking alleged narcotics traffickers to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, the US also carried out strikes on maritime targets off the Pacific coast off the Colombian coast.
