The US President along with his Colombian counterpart have intensified the volume of their exchange, heightening strains in their relations after American military units attacked Venezuela with the aim of deposing Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He has drug factories and processing labs and is not going to be doing it very long," the US president stated.
Escalating Tensions coupled with Claims
Addressing journalists over the weekend, the American leader hinted at comparable military action against Colombia, asserting the nation is “very sick too” and “run by a sick man who likes making cocaine and distributing it to America."
Although Colombia is the leading producer of cocaine, authorities have found no indication linking President Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is directly connected to the trade.
A Strained Partnership
This nation was historically a key ally of the US in the campaign against drug trafficking and enjoyed bipartisan support from American politicians, however, the relationship have soured significantly since Trump assumed the presidency.
Colombia’s drug trade is mainly overseen by illegal armed groups like one major cartel, another leftist insurgency and breakaway groups of the demobilized Farc, most of its former fighters demobilised after a landmark accord.
Petro's Firm Answer
In response to a query if military intervention like that in 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 1990s, rejected these allegations. "I am not an illegitimate leader and certainly not involved in narcotics," he stated.
"The US president speaks without knowledge. End the false accusations," he expressed online.
"If they [the US] bomb civilians, they will become 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 Fighter to Statesman
He passed some years as a young man as a member of the leftist M-19 guerrilla group though it is believed he did not participated in combat. Upon leaving the group, he was involved in creating a new constitution in the early 90s subsequently becoming an influential politician. He served as mayor of the capital city before being elected the nation's highest office.
"I swore to never again hold arms again ... but in defense of my country I will take up the fight," he vowed.
Heightened Measures and Broad Condemnation
Colombia's defense chief stated that the president’s personal security was strengthened.
Several members of Colombia’s political right have sided with Trump, yet figures from across Colombian politics have condemned the notion of a US attack targeting Colombia.
Bilateral and Financial Sanctions
American authorities withdrew the president's entry visa subsequent to he urged US military personnel to refuse any illegal orders. In October, it placed asset freezes on Petro, his wife and several key allies.
At the same time the US was building up its forces in the Caribbean and striking alleged narcotics traffickers to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, the US also carried out strikes on boats in the eastern Pacific region off the Colombian coast.
