The US President and Colombia's president have intensified the tone of their war of words, further raising strains bilaterally following US forces attacked Venezuela to remove the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He has drug factories and production sites and that won't last much longer," the US president stated.
Rising Tensions coupled with Accusations
Speaking to the press over the weekend, the American leader hinted at analogous armed intervention towards the South American nation, claiming the nation is “very sick too” and “run by a sick man who enjoys creating the drug and distributing it to the United States."
While Colombia stands as the globe's biggest cocaine-producing country, there is no evidence implicating Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is in any way tied to the business.
A Frayed Relationship
This nation was historically a close partner of Washington in the struggle against drug trafficking and benefited from cross-party backing in the US capital, but relations have soured markedly since Trump was elected.
Colombia’s drug trade is largely controlled by illegal armed groups such as the Golf Clan, the ELN guerrilla group and breakaway groups of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), the majority of whose members laid down arms after a historic peace agreement.
The President's Strong Response
When asked if a military operation similar to Venezuela was being considered against his country, Trump replied: "That seems like a good idea to me."
The Colombian leader, an ex-guerrilla fighter who left armed struggle in the 1990s, categorically refuted these allegations. "I am not an illegitimate leader nor am I a narco," he affirmed.
"He comments uninformed. Stop slandering me," he expressed online.
"Should American forces attack peasants, they will transform into thousands of guerrillas in the hills. And if they detain me, whom many of Colombians loves and respects, they will unleash the powerful force of the people," Petro warned.
From Insurgent to President
He passed some years as a young man belonging in the left-wing M-19 insurgent movement although reports indicate to have ever engaged in fighting. Following his disarmament, he took part in creating the nation's constitution in the early 90s subsequently becoming an influential politician. He served as mayor of Bogotá before winning president.
"I pledged to never again hold a weapon again ... but in defense of my country I will take up arms again," he said.
Increased Security along with Broad Rejection
Colombia's defense chief announced that the national leader's personal security had been reinforced.
Many among Colombia’s conservative opposition have expressed support with the US president, yet figures from all sides of the political spectrum have denounced the threats of American military action against their nation.
Bilateral and Financial Strains
American authorities withdrew the president's entry visa following he urged US troops to refuse any illegal orders. In October, the US enacted financial sanctions against the president, the first lady and a number of associates.
At the same time the US was building up its troop levels in the Caribbean and bombing suspected drug boats to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces have also conducted attacks on boats in the eastern Pacific region adjacent to Colombia.
