President Trump and President Gustavo Petro have turned up the volume in their verbal conflict, further raising strains in their relations after US forces targeted Venezuela to remove President Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He operates drug factories and production sites and that won't last much longer," Trump remarked.
Escalating Tensions coupled with Claims
Addressing reporters on Sunday, the American leader suggested comparable military action towards the South American nation, asserting the country is “very sick too” and governed by an unwell individual who likes making cocaine and selling it to the United States."
While Colombia is the globe's biggest producer of cocaine, authorities have found no indication that President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is personally tied to the trade.
A Deteriorating Alliance
Colombia has long been a close partner of the United States in the fight against drug trafficking and received cross-party backing from American politicians, however, the relationship have soured dramatically following Trump came to office.
Colombia’s narcotics trade is mainly overseen by guerrilla factions like one major cartel, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and renegade units of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), a large contingent of whom disbanded after a landmark accord.
The President's Strong Answer
In response to a query if military intervention like that in Venezuela was a possibility against his country, Trump responded: "It sounds good to me."
The Colombian leader, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who left armed struggle in the last century, categorically refuted the accusations. "I am not an illegitimate leader and certainly not a narco," he affirmed.
"He comments without information. Stop slandering me," he posted in a post.
"If they [the US] bomb civilians, they will become thousands of guerrillas in the mountains. And if they detain the president, whom a significant portion of the population loves and respects, they will unleash the ‘jaguar’ of the people," Petro warned.
From Guerrilla to Leader
The president dedicated a period in his early life belonging with the radical M-19 armed organization though it is believed he did not engaged in fighting. Following his disarmament, he took part in writing a new constitution in the early 90s and eventually served as a respected lawmaker. He held the office of mayor of Bogotá before being elected the presidency.
"I pledged to abstain from using a gun ... but for Colombia I will take up the fight," he affirmed.
Reinforced Protection and Broad Rejection
The Colombian defence minister stated that the national leader's security detail had received additional support.
Several members of Colombia’s right wing opposition have sided with Trump's stance, however, leaders from all sides of Colombian politics have denounced the notion of American military action on Colombia.
Political and Economic Sanctions
The US cancelled the president's entry visa subsequent to he encouraged US troops to ignore any illegal orders. Later, in October, the US enacted financial sanctions targeting Petro, his spouse and various associates.
Concurrently the US was building up its military presence in the Caribbean and striking vessels thought to carry drugs to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets also carried out attacks against vessels in Pacific waters adjacent to Colombia.
