The US President and Colombia's president have turned up the rhetoric of their war of words, increasing tensions bilaterally following American military units struck Venezuela in an operation to oust the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He operates cocaine mills and processing labs and his time is running out," the US president stated.
Escalating Tensions and Claims
Talking to journalists over the weekend, Trump suggested analogous armed intervention against Bogotá, claiming Colombia faces serious problems and led by a sick man involved in producing the drug and distributing it to the US."
While Colombia is the leading source of the narcotic, there is no evidence that President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is in any way connected to the trade.
A Deteriorating Alliance
This nation for decades served as a staunch collaborator of the United States in the fight combating drug cartels and received wide political approval in the US capital, however, the relationship have worsened markedly after Trump came to office.
Colombia’s narcotics trade is predominantly run by guerrilla factions such as the Golf Clan, another leftist insurgency and breakaway groups of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), the majority of whose members demobilised after a 2016 peace deal.
Petro's Defiant Answer
Upon being questioned if military intervention like that in Venezuela was being considered for Colombia, Trump responded: "It sounds good to me personally."
President Petro, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who demobilised decades ago, firmly denied Trump's claims. "I am neither illegitimate and certainly not a drug trafficker," he affirmed.
"Trump speaks without knowledge. End the false accusations," he posted in a post.
"Should American forces attack peasants, they will become numerous insurgents in the hills. If they capture the president, whom a large part of the country loves and respects, they will release the ‘jaguar’ of the nation," the president cautioned.
From Guerrilla to President
Petro spent a period in his early life belonging with the radical M-19 guerrilla group though it is believed that he never engaged in fighting. After demobilizing, he was involved in creating the constitutional rewrite in the early 90s subsequently becoming an influential politician. He served as mayor of the Colombian capital prior to his election president.
"I made a vow to never again hold a weapon again ... but for Colombia I will take up the fight," he vowed.
Reinforced Protection along with Cross-Political Opposition
Minister Pedro Sánchez stated that the national leader's security detail had been reinforced.
A segment of Colombia’s right wing opposition have sided with Trump's stance, but voices spanning the political spectrum have condemned the threats of a US attack on Colombia.
Bilateral and Economic Sanctions
The US cancelled Petro’s visa subsequent to he urged US military personnel to disobey orders that violate law. Later, in October, the US enacted financial sanctions against the president, his wife and various key allies.
At the same time as the US increased its military presence in the region and striking alleged narcotics traffickers against Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets executed strikes against vessels off the Pacific coast adjacent to Colombia.
