President Trump along with his Colombian counterpart have intensified the rhetoric in their verbal conflict, increasing tensions bilaterally following US forces struck Venezuela with the aim of deposing Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He has narcotics facilities and cocaine factories and that won't last much longer," Trump remarked.
Growing Threats coupled with Accusations
Talking to reporters over the weekend, the US president suggested similar use of force against Bogotá, claiming the nation is “very sick too” and “run by a sick man involved in producing cocaine and distributing it to the US."
While Colombia remains the leading cocaine-producing country, no proof exists that President Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is in any way tied to the illicit industry.
A Frayed Partnership
The country for decades served as a staunch collaborator of the United States in the campaign against drug trafficking and benefited from cross-party backing from American politicians, yet ties have soured significantly after Trump was elected.
Colombia’s narcotics trade is predominantly run by illegal armed groups including the Golf Clan, the ELN guerrilla group and breakaway groups of the demobilized Farc, a large contingent of whom disbanded subsequent to a landmark accord.
The President's Defiant Rebuttal
In response to a query whether a military operation similar to Venezuela was a possibility regarding Colombia, Trump replied: "It sounds good to me."
President Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who demobilised in the last century, categorically refuted the accusations. "I am neither illegitimate and I am not a drug trafficker," he stated.
"The US president speaks uninformed. Stop slandering me," he expressed in a post.
"If they [the US] bomb rural communities, they will become numerous insurgents across the countryside. And should they arrest the president, which a significant portion of the country holds in high esteem, they will release the ‘jaguar’ of the populace," Petro warned.
From Guerrilla to Statesman
The president dedicated part of his youth as a member in the left-wing M-19 insurgent movement but is not believed to have ever took part in armed clashes. Upon leaving the group, he was involved in drafting the constitutional rewrite in 1991 and eventually served as an influential politician. He held the office of mayor of Bogotá before being elected the nation's highest office.
"I pledged to abstain from using a gun ... but for Colombia I will take up the fight," he said.
Heightened Measures and Widespread Rejection
Minister Pedro Sánchez announced that Petro's protection team had received additional support.
A segment of Colombia’s right wing opposition have allied themselves with Trump, however, leaders spanning the ideological divide have condemned the possibility of a US attack against their nation.
Bilateral and Economic Strains
Washington cancelled the president's entry visa subsequent to he called on US military personnel to ignore unlawful commands. Later, in October, it placed asset freezes on Petro, the first lady and several key allies.
At the same time the US was building up its military presence in the region and striking alleged narcotics traffickers to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces also carried out operations against vessels in Pacific waters off the Colombian coast.
