Donald Trump and President Gustavo Petro have intensified the rhetoric of their war of words, increasing tensions in their relations following American military units struck Venezuela in an operation to oust Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He operates narcotics facilities and processing labs and his time is running out," Trump added.
Rising Threats coupled with Accusations
Addressing the press on Sunday, Trump threatened comparable use of force against Bogotá, stating Colombia is “very sick too” and governed by a problematic figure involved in producing the drug and distributing it to the US."
While Colombia remains the globe's biggest source of the narcotic, authorities have found no indication that President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is directly connected to the business.
A Frayed Partnership
This nation for decades served as a key ally of Washington in the struggle against narcotics trade and benefited from cross-party backing in the US capital, however, the relationship have worsened significantly since Trump came to office.
Its drug trade is predominantly run by guerrilla factions like the Clan del Golfo, the ELN guerrilla group and breakaway groups of the demobilized Farc, a large contingent of whom demobilised after a landmark accord.
The President's Firm Rebuttal
When asked whether a military operation similar to Venezuela was being considered for Colombia, Trump said: "I like the sound of that from my perspective."
The Colombian leader, an ex-guerrilla fighter who demobilised in the 1990s, categorically refuted the accusations. "I am no an illegitimate leader nor am I a narco," he declared.
"Trump speaks without information. Cease defaming me," he posted in a message.
"If they [the US] bomb civilians, they will transform into thousands of guerrillas in the hills. If they capture the nation's leader, whom many of the population admires and supports, they will unleash the ‘jaguar’ of the people," Petro warned.
From Insurgent to Leader
He passed part of his youth as a member of the leftist M-19 guerrilla group although reports indicate to have ever participated in combat. Upon leaving the group, he was involved in creating the constitutional rewrite in 1991 and later became a prominent senator. He was mayor of the capital city before being elected the presidency.
"I made a vow not to touch a gun ... but in defense of my country I will take up arms again," he said.
Reinforced Protection and Broad Condemnation
Minister Pedro Sánchez reported that the president’s security detail had been reinforced.
A segment of Colombia’s right wing opposition have allied themselves with the US president, however, leaders from all sides of the political spectrum have rejected the notion of American military action targeting Colombia.
Diplomatic and Financial Strains
The US withdrew Petro’s visa after he called on American soldiers to ignore unlawful commands. Months later, it placed asset freezes against the president, his spouse and several key allies.
At the same time as the US increased its troop levels in the region and targeting alleged narcotics traffickers against Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets executed strikes on maritime targets in the eastern Pacific region near Colombia.
