The US President along with Colombia's president have turned up the tone in their verbal conflict, heightening strains in their relations following US forces targeted Venezuela to remove President Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He has 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 the press over the weekend, the US president threatened analogous military action against Colombia, stating Colombia is also "very ill" and governed by a problematic figure who enjoys creating cocaine and selling it to the United States."
While Colombia stands as the leading producer of cocaine, there is no evidence linking President Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is personally tied to the business.
A Strained Relationship
Colombia has long been a staunch collaborator of Washington in the struggle against drug trafficking and received wide political approval from American politicians, but relations have worsened significantly after Trump assumed the presidency.
The nation's illicit drug economy is predominantly run by criminal organizations such as one major cartel, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and dissident factions of the demobilized Farc, most of its former fighters laid down arms following a historic peace agreement.
Petro's Defiant Answer
In response to a query whether armed intervention similar to Venezuela was on the cards for Colombia, Trump replied: "It sounds good from my perspective."
President Petro, an ex-guerrilla fighter who disarmed in the last century, firmly denied these allegations. "I am neither illegitimate and certainly not a drug trafficker," he declared.
"Trump speaks without information. End the false accusations," he wrote online.
"If they [the US] bomb civilians, they will become a multitude of fighters across the countryside. And should they arrest the nation's leader, whom many of Colombians admires and supports, they will provoke the powerful force of the populace," the president cautioned.
From Guerrilla to Leader
The president dedicated a period in his early life as a member of the leftist M-19 insurgent movement but is not believed he did not took part in armed clashes. Upon leaving the group, he was involved in drafting the constitutional rewrite in the early 90s and eventually served as an influential politician. He was mayor of Bogotá before winning the presidency.
"I made a vow not to touch arms again ... but for Colombia I would take up weapons once more," he vowed.
Reinforced Protection along with Cross-Political Condemnation
Minister Pedro Sánchez stated that the president’s personal security had received additional support.
A segment of Colombia’s conservative opposition have expressed support with the US president, however, leaders from across Colombian politics have rejected the notion of an invasion on Colombia.
Political and Economic Strains
American authorities withdrew his travel authorization after he encouraged US troops to refuse orders that violate law. In October, it placed economic restrictions targeting Petro, his spouse and a number of associates.
Simultaneously the US was building up its military presence near Venezuela and bombing suspected drug boats to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets executed attacks on boats off the Pacific coast off the Colombian coast.
