The US President and Colombia's president have turned up the rhetoric of their exchange, increasing tensions between the two countries after US forces struck Venezuela to remove President Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He operates drug factories and cocaine factories and that won't last much longer," Trump remarked.
Rising Tensions and Accusations
Speaking to the press over the weekend, the US president hinted at comparable use of force towards the South American nation, asserting the country is also "very ill" and “run by a problematic figure who likes making narcotics and selling it to the United States."
While Colombia is the world’s largest source of the narcotic, there is no evidence that President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is in any way involved in the illicit industry.
A Strained Partnership
Colombia was historically a close partner of the United States in the campaign combating drug cartels and benefited from bipartisan support in Washington, but relations have worsened markedly after Trump was elected.
Colombia’s narcotics trade is largely controlled by illegal armed groups like the Clan del Golfo, another leftist insurgency and renegade units of the former Farc guerrillas, the majority of whose members laid down arms following a landmark accord.
Petro's Firm Rebuttal
Upon being questioned whether military intervention comparable to Venezuela was on the cards against his country, Trump responded: "I like the sound of that from my perspective."
President Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who disarmed in the 1990s, firmly denied these allegations. "I am no illegitimate and I am not involved in narcotics," he declared.
"He comments uninformed. Cease defaming me," he wrote online.
"If they [the US] bomb civilians, they will become a multitude of fighters in the mountains. And if they detain the nation's leader, which a large part of the population holds in high esteem, they will unleash the ‘jaguar’ of the populace," Petro warned.
From Guerrilla to Statesman
The president dedicated a period in his early life participating with the radical M-19 insurgent movement but is not believed to have ever participated in combat. Upon leaving the group, he was involved in writing the constitutional rewrite over three decades ago subsequently becoming a respected lawmaker. He held the office of mayor of the capital city prior to his election the presidency.
"I made a vow to abstain from using a weapon again ... but for the homeland I will take up the fight," he said.
Heightened Measures along with Cross-Political Condemnation
Colombia's defense chief stated that the national leader's security detail had been reinforced.
A segment of Colombia’s political right have allied themselves with Trump, however, leaders spanning the political spectrum have rejected the possibility of an invasion against their nation.
Diplomatic and Economic Pressure
American authorities cancelled his travel authorization subsequent to he called on US troops to disobey any illegal orders. Later, in October, authorities imposed asset freezes on Petro, the first lady and a number of associates.
Concurrently as the US increased its troop levels in the Caribbean and striking suspected drug boats to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets executed strikes on boats in the eastern Pacific region off the Colombian coast.
