The US President and President Gustavo Petro have escalated the volume of their war of words, further raising tensions in their relations following US forces struck Venezuela in an operation to oust President Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He runs narcotics facilities and processing labs and that won't last much longer," Trump remarked.
Growing Rhetoric and Claims
Talking to reporters over the weekend, the US president hinted at comparable armed intervention against Colombia, asserting the nation is also "very ill" and governed by a problematic figure involved in producing narcotics and selling it to the United States."
While Colombia is the leading cocaine-producing country, authorities have found no indication that President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is directly tied to the illicit industry.
A Deteriorating Alliance
This nation was historically a staunch collaborator of the US in the fight against narcotics trade and benefited from wide political approval in the US capital, however, the relationship have worsened dramatically since Trump was elected.
The nation's illicit drug economy is mainly overseen by guerrilla factions like the Golf Clan, the ELN guerrilla group and renegade units of the demobilized Farc, a large contingent of whom demobilised after a 2016 peace deal.
Colombia's Firm Answer
Upon being questioned whether military intervention similar to Venezuela was on the cards against his country, Trump responded: "That seems like a good idea to me."
President Petro, an ex-guerrilla fighter who left armed struggle in the 1990s, rejected Trump's claims. "I am neither illegitimate and I am not a drug trafficker," he affirmed.
"He comments without knowledge. End the false accusations," he expressed in a post.
"If they [the US] bomb civilians, they will turn into thousands of guerrillas in the hills. If they capture me, whom many of the country admires and supports, they will unleash the ‘jaguar’ of the populace," Petro warned.
From Insurgent to Leader
He passed some years as a young man participating of the leftist M-19 armed organization but is not believed he did not participated in combat. Following his disarmament, he took part in creating a new constitution in 1991 and eventually served as an influential politician. He was mayor of the capital city prior to his election the presidency.
"I swore to never again hold a gun ... but for Colombia I would take up the fight," he affirmed.
Reinforced Protection along with Cross-Political Opposition
Colombia's defense chief announced that Petro's security detail had received additional support.
Many among Colombia’s conservative opposition have expressed support with Trump's stance, yet figures from across the ideological divide have denounced the possibility of American military action against their nation.
Bilateral and Financial Pressure
Washington cancelled his travel authorization following he urged US military personnel to refuse any illegal orders. Later, in October, the US enacted financial sanctions against the president, his wife and a number of associates.
At the same time while America bolstered its forces in the Caribbean and bombing suspected drug boats to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, the US executed attacks on boats in Pacific waters near Colombia.
