Donald Trump and his Colombian counterpart have intensified the volume of their war of words, heightening tensions bilaterally after American military units targeted Venezuela in an operation to oust President Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He runs cocaine mills and production sites and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump remarked.
Growing Rhetoric coupled with Allegations
Talking to journalists on Sunday, the US president hinted at comparable use of force against Colombia, claiming Colombia is also "very ill" and governed by a sick man who enjoys creating the drug and distributing it to the US."
While Colombia stands as the globe's biggest source of the narcotic, there is no evidence implicating Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is directly connected to the business.
A Deteriorating Alliance
The country was historically a close partner of Washington in the fight combating drug cartels and benefited from wide political approval in Washington, yet ties have soured significantly since Trump came to office.
Colombia’s narcotics trade is largely controlled by criminal organizations such as the Golf Clan, another leftist insurgency and dissident factions of the demobilized Farc, most of its former fighters laid down arms after a 2016 peace deal.
Petro's Firm Answer
In response to a query if armed intervention like that in Venezuela was on the cards regarding Colombia, Trump said: "I like the sound of that to me."
The Colombian leader, a former leftist guerrilla who left armed struggle in the last century, firmly denied Trump's claims. "I am no an illegitimate leader and certainly not involved in narcotics," he affirmed.
"Trump speaks without knowledge. Cease defaming me," he expressed in a post.
"Should American forces attack peasants, they will transform into numerous insurgents in the mountains. And should they arrest the nation's leader, which a significant portion of Colombians loves and respects, they will unleash the fierce spirit of the populace," Petro warned.
From Fighter to Leader
Petro spent part of his youth belonging with the radical M-19 guerrilla group although reports indicate to have ever participated in combat. Upon leaving the group, he participated in writing a new constitution in the early 90s subsequently becoming a prominent senator. He held the office of mayor of the capital city before being elected the presidency.
"I pledged to never again hold a weapon again ... but for Colombia I would take up weapons once more," he affirmed.
Increased Security and Broad Opposition
The Colombian defence minister stated that the president’s protection team had been reinforced.
Several members of Colombia’s political right have allied themselves with the US president, yet figures from all sides of the political spectrum have rejected the notion of American military action against their nation.
Bilateral and Economic Sanctions
American authorities revoked Petro’s visa subsequent to he encouraged US troops to ignore any illegal orders. Later, in October, authorities imposed asset freezes against the president, his wife and various associates.
At the same time while America bolstered its troop levels near Venezuela and targeting suspected drug boats to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets executed strikes on maritime targets in the eastern Pacific region off the Colombian coast.
