The US President and President Gustavo Petro have escalated the tone of their war of words, further raising tensions bilaterally following US forces targeted Venezuela in an operation to oust President Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He runs drug factories and production sites and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump remarked.
Rising Tensions coupled with Claims
Speaking to the press over the weekend, the American leader threatened analogous military action towards the South American nation, asserting Colombia is “very sick too” and led by an unwell individual involved in producing the drug and trafficking it to the US."
While Colombia remains the leading source of the narcotic, authorities have found no indication that President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is in any way tied to the trade.
A Strained Alliance
This nation was historically a key ally of the US in the struggle combating drug cartels and enjoyed bipartisan support in Washington, but relations have worsened dramatically following Trump assumed the presidency.
Its drug trade is mainly overseen by criminal organizations like one major cartel, the ELN guerrilla group and renegade units of the demobilized Farc, a large contingent of whom disbanded subsequent to a 2016 peace deal.
Petro's Defiant Answer
Upon being questioned if armed intervention comparable to Venezuela was being considered for Colombia, Trump said: "That seems like a good idea to me personally."
The Colombian leader, a former leftist guerrilla who disarmed decades ago, firmly denied these allegations. "I am not an illegitimate leader nor am I involved in narcotics," he affirmed.
"The US president speaks without information. Stop slandering me," he expressed online.
"If US bombs target civilians, they will transform into thousands of guerrillas in the mountains. If they capture me, whom a large part of the country loves and respects, they will provoke the powerful force of the nation," he admonished.
From Insurgent to Statesman
The president dedicated a period in his early life belonging of the leftist M-19 armed organization but is not believed that he never engaged in fighting. Following his disarmament, he took part in drafting the constitutional rewrite in 1991 and eventually served as an influential politician. He served as mayor of the capital city before winning the nation's highest office.
"I made a vow not to touch a gun ... but for the homeland I would take up arms again," he said.
Reinforced Protection along with Broad Opposition
The Colombian defence minister stated that the president’s protection team was strengthened.
Several members of Colombia’s political right have sided with the US president, but voices from all sides of Colombian politics have denounced the notion of a US attack on Colombia.
Diplomatic and Economic Sanctions
The US revoked his travel authorization subsequent to he urged American soldiers to disobey any illegal orders. Later, in October, authorities imposed asset freezes targeting Petro, the first lady and several close collaborators.
Concurrently while America bolstered its military presence in the Caribbean and striking vessels thought to carry drugs to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, the US executed strikes on maritime targets off the Pacific coast near Colombia.
