President Trump and President Gustavo Petro have escalated the tone of their exchange, further raising tensions between the two countries following US forces targeted Venezuela to remove Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He runs cocaine mills and production sites and his time is running out," the US president stated.
Growing Rhetoric coupled with Accusations
Talking to journalists on Sunday, the US president suggested comparable armed intervention against Bogotá, stating the country is also "very ill" and “run by a sick man involved in producing the drug and selling it to the US."
Although Colombia remains the leading source of the narcotic, no proof exists implicating Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is personally connected to the business.
A Strained Relationship
This nation was historically a close partner of the United States in the fight against drug trafficking and benefited from cross-party backing in the US capital, yet ties have worsened dramatically after Trump came to office.
Its narcotics trade is predominantly run by criminal organizations like one major cartel, the ELN guerrilla group and breakaway groups of the demobilized Farc, a large contingent of whom demobilised after a landmark accord.
Colombia's Firm Rebuttal
In response to a query if armed intervention like that in Venezuela was on the cards against his country, Trump replied: "I like the sound of that to me."
The Colombian leader, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who left armed struggle decades ago, firmly denied Trump's claims. "I am no an illegitimate leader and certainly not a drug trafficker," he stated.
"Trump speaks without information. End the false accusations," he expressed in a post.
"If they [the US] bomb civilians, they will transform into a multitude of fighters in the hills. And should they arrest the president, whom many of the population admires and supports, they will release the ‘jaguar’ of the people," Petro warned.
From Fighter to President
Petro spent part of his youth participating with the radical M-19 guerrilla group but is not believed he did not engaged in fighting. After demobilizing, he was involved in writing the nation's constitution in the early 90s and eventually served as an influential politician. He held the office of mayor of Bogotá prior to his election the presidency.
"I made a vow to never again hold a gun ... but for Colombia I shall resume weapons once more," he said.
Increased Security and Cross-Political Rejection
Colombia's defense chief reported that the president’s personal security had received additional support.
Several members of Colombia’s right wing opposition have allied themselves with Trump, yet figures spanning the political spectrum have condemned the threats of an invasion on Colombia.
Diplomatic and Economic Pressure
The US withdrew the president's entry visa following he urged US troops to disobey orders that violate law. In October, the US enacted economic restrictions targeting Petro, his spouse and various associates.
Concurrently while America bolstered its forces near Venezuela and bombing vessels thought to carry drugs to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, the US executed strikes on boats off the Pacific coast near Colombia.
