The US President and Colombia's president have escalated the volume of their war of words, further raising tensions between the two countries after US forces targeted Venezuela with the aim of deposing Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He operates drug factories and processing labs and is not going to be doing it very long," the US president stated.
Escalating Rhetoric and Allegations
Speaking to the press on Sunday, Trump suggested comparable armed intervention towards the South American nation, claiming the country is “very sick too” and led by an unwell individual involved in producing the drug and trafficking it to the United States."
While Colombia stands as the leading source of the narcotic, authorities have found no indication linking President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is directly involved in the trade.
A Strained Relationship
This nation was historically a key ally of the United States in the fight combating drug cartels and benefited from cross-party backing in Washington, however, the relationship have deteriorated significantly since Trump was elected.
Colombia’s illicit drug economy is largely controlled by illegal armed groups such as one major cartel, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and renegade units of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), a large contingent of whom disbanded subsequent to a 2016 peace deal.
Petro's Defiant Answer
In response to a query if military intervention like that in Venezuela was a possibility against his country, Trump responded: "It sounds good to me personally."
The Colombian leader, an ex-guerrilla fighter who demobilised in the 1990s, firmly denied Trump's claims. "I am no an illegitimate leader and I am not a narco," he affirmed.
"He comments without information. Stop slandering me," he wrote in a post.
"Should American forces attack rural communities, they will turn into thousands of guerrillas in the hills. If they capture the president, whom many of Colombians admires and supports, they will provoke the ‘jaguar’ of the nation," Petro warned.
From Guerrilla to President
The president dedicated some years as a young man belonging with the radical M-19 armed organization although reports indicate to have ever engaged in fighting. After demobilizing, he participated in writing the nation's constitution over three decades ago subsequently becoming a prominent senator. He was mayor of the capital city before being elected president.
"I swore to never again hold arms again ... but for Colombia I shall resume weapons once more," he affirmed.
Reinforced Protection and Widespread Rejection
Minister Pedro Sánchez stated that Petro's protection team had been reinforced.
Several members of Colombia’s right wing opposition have sided with Trump, but voices from across the political spectrum have rejected the threats of an invasion targeting Colombia.
Diplomatic and Financial Pressure
American authorities revoked his travel authorization after he urged US troops to refuse orders that violate law. Later, in October, the US enacted economic restrictions against the president, his spouse and several close collaborators.
At the same time as the US increased its military presence in the Caribbean and striking alleged narcotics traffickers to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, the US also carried out strikes against vessels in the eastern Pacific region adjacent to Colombia.
