The US President along with President Gustavo Petro have turned up the rhetoric in their verbal conflict, increasing strains bilaterally following US forces targeted Venezuela with the aim of deposing Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He operates drug factories and cocaine factories and his time is running out," the US president stated.
Rising Rhetoric coupled with Allegations
Speaking to reporters over the weekend, Trump hinted at analogous use of force against Bogotá, stating the nation is “very sick too” and “run by a problematic figure involved in producing narcotics and trafficking it to America."
While Colombia is the globe's biggest cocaine-producing country, authorities have found no indication implicating Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is personally connected to the illicit industry.
A Strained Relationship
The country has long been a close partner of Washington in the struggle against narcotics trade and benefited from bipartisan support in the US capital, but relations have deteriorated dramatically after Trump was elected.
Colombia’s narcotics trade is mainly overseen by illegal armed groups like the Golf Clan, the ELN guerrilla group and dissident factions of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), a large contingent of whom laid down arms subsequent to a historic peace agreement.
The President's Firm Rebuttal
In response to a query whether a military operation comparable to Venezuela was a possibility against his country, Trump responded: "I like the sound of that to me personally."
The Colombian leader, a former leftist guerrilla who demobilised in the 1990s, rejected Trump's claims. "I am not illegitimate and certainly not a narco," he stated.
"He comments without information. Cease defaming me," he wrote online.
"Should American forces attack peasants, they will transform into numerous insurgents across the countryside. And if they detain the president, whom many of the population admires and supports, they will provoke the powerful force of the populace," he admonished.
From Guerrilla to Leader
The president dedicated part of his youth as a member in the left-wing M-19 armed organization although reports indicate that he never engaged in fighting. Upon leaving the group, he was involved in writing a new constitution in 1991 subsequently becoming a prominent senator. He held the office of mayor of the Colombian capital before being elected the nation's highest office.
"I pledged not to touch a weapon again ... but in defense of my country I will take up arms again," he said.
Increased Security and Widespread Opposition
Minister Pedro Sánchez announced that the president’s security detail had been reinforced.
A segment of Colombia’s conservative opposition have expressed support with the US president, but voices from all sides of Colombian politics have condemned the threats of American military action targeting Colombia.
Bilateral and Financial Strains
Washington revoked Petro’s visa following he encouraged American soldiers to ignore orders that violate law. Later, in October, the US enacted economic restrictions against the president, his wife and several associates.
At the same time the US was building up its military presence in the region and striking vessels thought to carry drugs to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces have also conducted operations against vessels in Pacific waters adjacent to Colombia.
