Donald Trump along with President Gustavo Petro have intensified the tone of their war of words, further raising tensions bilaterally after American military units targeted Venezuela in an operation to oust President Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He has cocaine mills and cocaine factories and that won't last much longer," the US president stated.
Growing Threats and Claims
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, the American leader hinted at analogous military action against Bogotá, asserting Colombia is “very sick too” and led by a problematic figure involved in producing narcotics and trafficking it to the United States."
Although Colombia stands as the leading producer of cocaine, no proof exists that President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is in any way tied to the trade.
A Frayed Partnership
Colombia has long been a close partner of the US in the campaign against narcotics trade and benefited from cross-party backing in Washington, yet ties have soured markedly following Trump came to office.
Colombia’s illicit drug economy is predominantly run by illegal armed groups 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 laid down arms after a historic peace agreement.
Colombia's Defiant Rebuttal
When asked if a military operation like that in Venezuela was being considered against his country, Trump responded: "I like the sound of that from my perspective."
President Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who disarmed decades ago, rejected Trump's claims. "I am not illegitimate nor am I a narco," he affirmed.
"The US president speaks uninformed. Stop slandering me," he expressed in a message.
"Should American forces attack civilians, they will turn into thousands of guerrillas in the mountains. And should they arrest the nation's leader, whom a significant portion of Colombians holds in high esteem, they will release the ‘jaguar’ of the people," he admonished.
From Insurgent to Statesman
He passed some years as a young man as a member of the leftist M-19 insurgent movement though it is believed he did not took part in armed clashes. After demobilizing, he participated in drafting the constitutional rewrite in the early 90s and later became an influential politician. He held the office of mayor of Bogotá prior to his election the nation's highest office.
"I pledged to abstain from using a weapon again ... but in defense of my country I would take up arms again," he said.
Reinforced Protection and Cross-Political Opposition
Minister Pedro Sánchez announced that the president’s security detail was strengthened.
Several members of Colombia’s right wing opposition have expressed support with Trump's stance, yet figures from all sides of the ideological divide have denounced the notion of American military action targeting Colombia.
Political and Economic Pressure
The US revoked Petro’s visa subsequent to he called on American soldiers to disobey orders that violate law. In October, it placed financial sanctions targeting Petro, his wife and several key allies.
Concurrently as the US increased its troop levels in the region and striking vessels thought to carry drugs to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces have also conducted strikes on boats in Pacific waters adjacent to Colombia.
