Donald Trump along with President Gustavo Petro have escalated the volume of their war of words, increasing tensions in their relations after US forces targeted Venezuela in an operation to oust the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He has drug factories and production sites and that won't last much longer," Trump remarked.
Growing Tensions coupled with Claims
Addressing journalists over the weekend, Trump threatened analogous military action against Colombia, claiming Colombia is also "very ill" and led by an unwell individual who likes making narcotics and selling it to America."
While Colombia is the globe's biggest producer of cocaine, there is no evidence implicating Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is personally tied to the business.
A Deteriorating Partnership
This nation has long been a close partner of the United States in the fight against narcotics trade and enjoyed bipartisan support from American politicians, yet ties have soured significantly after Trump assumed the presidency.
Its drug trade is mainly overseen by illegal armed groups such as the Clan del Golfo, the ELN guerrilla group and breakaway groups of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), a large contingent of whom disbanded following a 2016 peace deal.
Petro's Strong Answer
When asked if military intervention like that in Venezuela was a possibility regarding Colombia, Trump responded: "That seems like a good idea from my perspective."
President Petro, an ex-guerrilla fighter who demobilised in the 1990s, rejected the accusations. "I am not an illegitimate leader nor am I a narco," he affirmed.
"The US president speaks without information. Stop slandering me," he expressed in a post.
"Should American forces attack rural communities, they will turn into numerous insurgents in the mountains. And should they arrest me, whom a large part of Colombians admires and supports, they will release the ‘jaguar’ of the nation," he admonished.
From Insurgent to Statesman
He passed some years as a young man participating with the radical M-19 insurgent movement although reports indicate that he never took part in armed clashes. Upon leaving the group, he participated in writing the nation's constitution in 1991 subsequently becoming a respected lawmaker. He was mayor of Bogotá prior to his election the presidency.
"I pledged not to touch a gun ... but for Colombia I shall resume weapons once more," he said.
Reinforced Protection along with Broad Opposition
Colombia's defense chief announced that the president’s security detail had received additional support.
A segment of Colombia’s political right have allied themselves with Trump's stance, however, leaders from all sides of the political spectrum have denounced the possibility of American military action on Colombia.
Bilateral and Financial Pressure
The US cancelled the president's entry visa after he encouraged US troops to ignore unlawful commands. Months later, the US enacted economic restrictions against the president, his wife and various key allies.
At the same time as the US increased its military presence in the Caribbean and striking vessels thought to carry drugs against Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets have also conducted attacks on maritime targets off the Pacific coast near Colombia.
