The US President along with his Colombian counterpart have escalated the rhetoric of their war of words, increasing strains between the two countries after American military units attacked Venezuela with the aim of deposing President Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He has cocaine mills and production sites and his time is running out," the US president stated.
Growing Tensions coupled with Allegations
Talking to the press over the weekend, the US president suggested analogous use of force towards the South American nation, claiming the nation faces serious problems and led by a problematic figure who likes making narcotics and distributing it to America."
Although Colombia is the leading producer of cocaine, authorities have found no indication implicating Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is personally connected to the illicit industry.
A Frayed Partnership
Colombia has long been a close partner of Washington in the campaign against drug trafficking and received cross-party backing from American politicians, but relations have deteriorated dramatically following Trump came to office.
Colombia’s narcotics trade is largely controlled by illegal armed groups like one major cartel, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and dissident factions of the demobilized Farc, a large contingent of whom laid down arms following a historic peace agreement.
Colombia's Strong Answer
Upon being questioned if armed intervention like that in Venezuela was being considered for Colombia, Trump responded: "I like the sound of that from my perspective."
President Petro, an ex-guerrilla fighter who demobilised in the last century, categorically refuted the accusations. "I am no illegitimate and certainly not a drug trafficker," he stated.
"The US president speaks uninformed. End the false accusations," he expressed in a post.
"If they [the US] bomb civilians, they will turn into thousands of guerrillas in the mountains. And should they arrest me, whom a large part of Colombians admires and supports, they will release the ‘jaguar’ of the people," Petro warned.
From Insurgent to Statesman
Petro spent some years as a young man belonging of the leftist M-19 armed organization but is not believed to have ever took part in armed clashes. Upon leaving the group, he was involved in writing the constitutional rewrite in 1991 and eventually served as an influential politician. He held the office of mayor of Bogotá before winning the presidency.
"I made a vow to abstain from using a weapon again ... but for Colombia I will take up weapons once more," he affirmed.
Increased Security and Widespread Opposition
Colombia's defense chief stated that the national leader's security detail was strengthened.
Several members of Colombia’s political right have sided with the US president, but voices from all sides of the ideological divide have rejected the threats of an invasion targeting Colombia.
Diplomatic and Financial Sanctions
Washington withdrew Petro’s visa following he urged US troops to disobey any illegal orders. Months later, it placed economic restrictions on Petro, the first lady and a number of key allies.
Simultaneously while America bolstered its military presence near Venezuela and striking vessels thought to carry drugs to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces executed attacks on boats in the eastern Pacific region near Colombia.
