Donald Trump along with President Gustavo Petro have escalated the tone in their verbal conflict, increasing strains between the two countries following US forces targeted Venezuela with the aim of deposing the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He runs drug factories and cocaine factories and is not going to be doing it very long," the US president stated.
Rising Threats and Allegations
Talking to journalists over the weekend, the American leader threatened analogous military action against Colombia, claiming the country is “very sick too” and governed by a problematic figure who enjoys creating the drug and trafficking it to the United States."
While Colombia remains the globe's biggest cocaine-producing country, there is no evidence linking President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is in any way tied to the illicit industry.
A Deteriorating Relationship
This nation for decades served as a close partner of Washington in the campaign against narcotics trade and enjoyed cross-party backing in the US capital, yet ties have deteriorated significantly after Trump assumed the presidency.
The nation's narcotics trade is predominantly run by guerrilla factions such as one major cartel, the ELN guerrilla group and breakaway groups of the former Farc guerrillas, most of its former fighters laid down arms after a historic peace agreement.
The President's Defiant Rebuttal
Upon being questioned whether military intervention comparable to Venezuela was a possibility regarding Colombia, Trump said: "That seems like a good idea 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 no illegitimate nor am I involved in narcotics," he declared.
"He comments without knowledge. End the false accusations," he posted in a post.
"If US bombs target rural communities, they will transform into thousands of guerrillas in the mountains. If they capture the nation's leader, whom a significant portion of the population loves and respects, they will provoke the ‘jaguar’ of the people," the president cautioned.
From Insurgent to President
Petro spent some years as a young man as a member in the left-wing M-19 guerrilla group though it is believed that he never engaged in fighting. Following his disarmament, he was involved in creating the constitutional rewrite in 1991 subsequently becoming an influential politician. He was mayor of Bogotá before being elected the presidency.
"I pledged to abstain from using arms again ... but for Colombia I would take up weapons once more," he vowed.
Increased Security along with Broad Rejection
The Colombian defence minister stated that the national leader's personal security had received additional support.
Many among Colombia’s right wing opposition have allied themselves with Trump's stance, but voices from across Colombian politics have denounced the possibility of a US attack on Colombia.
Bilateral and Economic Sanctions
The US withdrew his travel authorization subsequent to he encouraged American soldiers to disobey any illegal orders. In October, authorities imposed economic restrictions on Petro, his wife and various key allies.
Concurrently the US was building up its troop levels near Venezuela and striking suspected drug boats against Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets executed strikes on boats in Pacific waters near Colombia.
