Donald Trump along with Colombia's president have turned up the rhetoric in their verbal conflict, heightening strains in their relations after US forces attacked Venezuela with the aim of deposing the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He operates drug factories and production sites and that won't last much longer," Trump remarked.
Escalating Threats and Accusations
Addressing reporters over the weekend, Trump suggested analogous military action against Colombia, asserting Colombia is also "very ill" and led by a sick man who enjoys creating the drug and selling it to America."
While Colombia is the globe's biggest source of the narcotic, authorities have found no indication that President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is directly tied to the trade.
A Deteriorating Relationship
Colombia for decades served as a close partner of the United States in the campaign against narcotics trade and enjoyed cross-party backing in the US capital, but relations have soured significantly since Trump assumed the presidency.
Its narcotics trade is mainly overseen by guerrilla factions such as the Clan del Golfo, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and breakaway groups of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), the majority of whose members disbanded subsequent to a landmark accord.
The President's Strong Response
When asked if armed intervention comparable to Venezuela was on the cards for Colombia, Trump said: "That seems like a good idea to me."
Petro, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who disarmed in the 1990s, rejected the accusations. "I am no illegitimate and I am not a drug trafficker," he affirmed.
"Trump speaks without information. Stop slandering me," he expressed in a post.
"If they [the US] bomb rural communities, they will turn into a multitude of fighters across the countryside. If they capture the nation's leader, whom a significant portion of Colombians loves and respects, they will unleash the fierce spirit of the nation," Petro warned.
From Fighter to Statesman
Petro spent part of his youth participating in the left-wing M-19 armed organization though it is believed that he never engaged in fighting. After demobilizing, he participated in creating the constitutional rewrite over three decades ago and later became a prominent senator. He held the office of mayor of the Colombian capital prior to his election president.
"I made a vow not to touch a gun ... but for the homeland I shall resume arms again," he said.
Reinforced Protection along with Widespread Opposition
The Colombian defence minister reported that the president’s protection team had received additional support.
Several members of Colombia’s political right have allied themselves with Trump, however, leaders spanning the political spectrum have denounced the notion of American military action on Colombia.
Diplomatic and Economic Pressure
American authorities withdrew the president's entry visa subsequent to he encouraged American soldiers to refuse any illegal orders. Months later, authorities imposed economic restrictions targeting Petro, his wife and various key allies.
At the same time the US was building up its military presence in the Caribbean and bombing vessels thought to carry drugs against Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets have also conducted attacks on maritime targets off the Pacific coast near Colombia.
