President Trump along with President Gustavo Petro have turned up the tone of their exchange, further raising tensions in their relations following US forces attacked Venezuela to remove the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He runs cocaine mills and cocaine factories and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump remarked.
Rising Tensions and Allegations
Addressing the press over the weekend, the US president hinted at comparable use of force towards the South American nation, claiming the country is also "very ill" and led by a sick man involved in producing the drug and distributing it to the United States."
While Colombia stands as the world’s largest source of the narcotic, no proof exists implicating Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is directly involved in the trade.
A Frayed Alliance
Colombia has long been a close partner of Washington in the fight against drug trafficking and benefited from bipartisan support in the US capital, but relations have soured significantly following Trump was elected.
The nation's narcotics trade is predominantly run by criminal organizations including one major cartel, the ELN guerrilla group and breakaway groups of the former Farc guerrillas, the majority of whose members disbanded following a landmark accord.
Colombia's Strong Answer
In response to a query if armed intervention like that in Venezuela was being considered for Colombia, Trump replied: "That seems like a good idea to me personally."
President Petro, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who left armed struggle in the last century, categorically refuted the accusations. "I am not illegitimate and I am not a drug trafficker," he affirmed.
"The US president speaks uninformed. End the false accusations," he expressed in a message.
"If they [the US] bomb rural communities, they will turn into a multitude of fighters in the mountains. And if they detain me, whom a large part of the country admires and supports, they will unleash 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 armed organization but is not believed that he never participated in combat. After demobilizing, he participated in drafting the constitutional rewrite in the early 90s subsequently becoming an influential politician. He was mayor of the capital city before being elected president.
"I pledged to abstain from using arms again ... but for the homeland I would take up arms again," he affirmed.
Increased Security along with Widespread Opposition
The Colombian defence minister reported that the president’s security detail had been reinforced.
Many among Colombia’s right wing opposition have allied themselves with Trump's stance, yet figures from across Colombian politics have rejected the notion of American military action against their nation.
Bilateral and Economic Sanctions
American authorities revoked the president's entry visa following he urged American soldiers to disobey orders that violate law. Later, in October, it placed asset freezes targeting Petro, the first lady and several associates.
At the same time as the US increased its forces in the region and targeting vessels thought to carry drugs to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets executed attacks on maritime targets in Pacific waters adjacent to Colombia.
