The US President and his Colombian counterpart have escalated the rhetoric of their war of words, further raising tensions bilaterally after US forces targeted Venezuela with the aim of deposing the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He has cocaine mills and cocaine factories and that won't last much longer," Trump remarked.
Rising Threats coupled with Allegations
Talking to the press on Sunday, Trump hinted at analogous use of force against Colombia, stating Colombia is also "very ill" and “run by a problematic figure involved in producing narcotics and distributing it to the US."
Although Colombia stands as the leading producer of cocaine, authorities have found no indication implicating Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is personally involved in the trade.
A Deteriorating Partnership
The country has long been a staunch collaborator of the US in the campaign against drug trafficking and benefited from bipartisan support from American politicians, yet ties have deteriorated markedly after Trump was elected.
Colombia’s drug trade is predominantly run by illegal armed groups such as the Clan del Golfo, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and dissident factions of the former Farc guerrillas, most of its former fighters demobilised subsequent to a historic peace agreement.
The President's Strong Answer
When asked if military intervention similar to Venezuela was a possibility for Colombia, Trump responded: "It sounds good to me."
The Colombian leader, an ex-guerrilla fighter who left armed struggle in the last century, categorically refuted Trump's claims. "I am no an illegitimate leader nor am I involved in narcotics," he affirmed.
"Trump speaks without information. End the false accusations," he wrote online.
"Should American forces attack peasants, they will turn into numerous insurgents in the mountains. If they capture the nation's leader, whom a large part of the population holds in high esteem, they will unleash the fierce spirit of the populace," Petro warned.
From Fighter to Statesman
He passed part of his youth participating of the leftist M-19 guerrilla group but is not believed to have ever participated in combat. Upon leaving the group, he took part in writing the nation's constitution in 1991 subsequently becoming an influential politician. He held the office of mayor of the Colombian capital before winning the presidency.
"I swore not to touch a gun ... but for the homeland I shall resume the fight," he vowed.
Increased Security and Broad Condemnation
Colombia's defense chief stated that Petro's personal security had received additional support.
Several members of Colombia’s conservative opposition have sided with the US president, however, leaders from all sides of Colombian politics have denounced the notion of a US attack against their nation.
Political and Economic Strains
American authorities cancelled his travel authorization subsequent to he encouraged US troops to disobey unlawful commands. Months later, it placed financial sanctions against the president, his spouse and a number of key allies.
Simultaneously while America bolstered its troop levels in the region and targeting vessels thought to carry drugs against Venezuela’s Maduro, the US have also conducted strikes on boats off the Pacific coast adjacent to Colombia.
