Donald Trump along with his Colombian counterpart have escalated the tone in their verbal conflict, further raising strains bilaterally following US forces attacked Venezuela in an operation to oust Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He has cocaine mills and production sites and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump remarked.
Escalating Tensions coupled with Accusations
Talking to journalists on Sunday, Trump hinted at analogous armed intervention against Bogotá, asserting the country is “very sick too” and “run by a problematic figure involved in producing narcotics and selling it to the United States."
While Colombia remains the globe's biggest cocaine-producing country, there is no evidence that President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is personally involved in the illicit industry.
A Deteriorating Alliance
Colombia has long been a staunch collaborator of Washington in the struggle against drug trafficking and received bipartisan support in Washington, yet ties have worsened significantly following Trump came to office.
Colombia’s narcotics trade is mainly overseen by guerrilla factions like one major cartel, the ELN guerrilla group and renegade units of the former Farc guerrillas, the majority of whose members demobilised following a landmark accord.
Colombia's Defiant Response
Upon being questioned if a military operation similar to Venezuela was being considered regarding Colombia, Trump replied: "That seems like a good idea to me."
President Petro, an ex-guerrilla fighter who disarmed in the last century, categorically refuted Trump's claims. "I am neither illegitimate and I am not involved in narcotics," he declared.
"He comments without information. Stop slandering me," he expressed in a message.
"If US bombs target peasants, they will transform into a multitude of fighters across the countryside. And if they detain the president, whom many of the population holds in high esteem, they will provoke the powerful force of the populace," the president cautioned.
From Guerrilla to Statesman
Petro spent a period in his early life as a member of the leftist M-19 insurgent movement though it is believed to have ever participated in combat. Following his disarmament, he was involved in creating the constitutional rewrite in the early 90s and eventually served as a respected lawmaker. He served as mayor of the capital city prior to his election the nation's highest office.
"I swore to never again hold a gun ... but for Colombia I would take up weapons once more," he affirmed.
Heightened Measures and Broad Opposition
The Colombian defence minister stated that Petro's security detail was strengthened.
Several members of Colombia’s political right have allied themselves with Trump, however, leaders from across the political spectrum have condemned the possibility of a US attack targeting Colombia.
Political and Economic Sanctions
American authorities revoked the president's entry visa after he called on US troops to ignore any illegal orders. Months later, it placed financial sanctions targeting Petro, his wife and several close collaborators.
Concurrently while America bolstered its military presence near Venezuela and striking alleged narcotics traffickers to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces also carried out strikes on maritime targets off the Pacific coast off the Colombian coast.
