The US President and Colombia's president have escalated the rhetoric of their exchange, increasing tensions in their relations after US forces targeted Venezuela with the aim of deposing the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He operates cocaine mills and cocaine factories and is not going to be doing it very long," the US president stated.
Escalating Tensions coupled with Claims
Addressing reporters on Sunday, Trump threatened similar armed intervention against Bogotá, stating Colombia is “very sick too” and “run by a problematic figure involved in producing the drug and trafficking it to America."
Although Colombia remains the world’s largest producer of cocaine, there is no evidence that President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is directly involved in the business.
A Deteriorating Partnership
The country was historically a staunch collaborator of the United States in the campaign against drug trafficking and benefited from cross-party backing in the US capital, however, the relationship have worsened markedly after Trump came to office.
Its drug trade is predominantly run by criminal organizations such as the Golf Clan, the ELN guerrilla group and breakaway groups of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), the majority of whose members demobilised subsequent to a historic peace agreement.
Petro's Defiant Answer
When asked whether armed intervention comparable to Venezuela was a possibility for Colombia, Trump replied: "That seems like a good idea to me personally."
President Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who left armed struggle in the last century, firmly denied these allegations. "I am no an illegitimate leader nor am I a drug trafficker," he stated.
"Trump speaks without information. Cease defaming me," he posted online.
"Should American forces attack rural communities, they will become thousands of guerrillas across the countryside. If they capture the nation's leader, whom many of the population admires and supports, they will provoke the ‘jaguar’ of the populace," Petro warned.
From Guerrilla to President
The president dedicated part of his youth participating with the radical M-19 guerrilla group but is not believed to have ever took part in armed clashes. After demobilizing, he took part in creating the nation's constitution over three decades ago subsequently becoming an influential politician. He held the office of mayor of the Colombian capital before being elected president.
"I swore to never again hold a weapon again ... but for the homeland I shall resume weapons once more," he said.
Reinforced Protection and Broad Opposition
Colombia's defense chief reported that the president’s personal security had received additional support.
Many among Colombia’s conservative opposition have allied themselves with Trump, however, leaders spanning Colombian politics have denounced the possibility of a US attack against their nation.
Diplomatic and Economic Strains
American authorities withdrew the president's entry visa following he called on US military personnel to disobey any illegal orders. In October, authorities imposed financial sanctions on Petro, his wife and a number of close collaborators.
Concurrently while America bolstered its forces in the Caribbean and bombing suspected drug boats against Venezuela’s Maduro, the US have also conducted operations on boats in Pacific waters near Colombia.
