Donald Trump along with his Colombian counterpart have intensified the volume of their exchange, heightening strains between the two countries following American military units attacked Venezuela with the aim of deposing Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He operates cocaine mills and production sites and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump remarked.
Escalating Threats coupled with Allegations
Talking to reporters over the weekend, the US president hinted at analogous armed intervention against Colombia, stating the country faces serious problems and led by an unwell individual involved in producing cocaine and trafficking it to the US."
While Colombia is the globe's biggest cocaine-producing country, no proof exists linking President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is directly involved in the business.
A Frayed Alliance
Colombia has long been a close partner of the US in the campaign against narcotics trade and enjoyed cross-party backing in Washington, yet ties have worsened dramatically after Trump assumed the presidency.
Colombia’s drug trade is predominantly run by illegal armed groups such as the Golf Clan, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and renegade units of the former Farc guerrillas, a large contingent of whom demobilised subsequent to a landmark accord.
Petro's Firm Rebuttal
Upon being questioned if a military operation comparable to Venezuela was on the cards regarding Colombia, Trump responded: "It sounds good from my perspective."
The Colombian leader, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who left armed struggle in the last century, rejected Trump's claims. "I am not an illegitimate leader and certainly not involved in narcotics," he stated.
"He comments uninformed. Stop slandering me," he expressed online.
"Should American forces attack rural communities, they will turn into thousands of guerrillas in the mountains. And if they detain the president, which a large part of Colombians holds in high esteem, they will release the ‘jaguar’ of the people," the president cautioned.
From Insurgent to Leader
He passed some years as a young man participating with the radical M-19 insurgent movement though it is believed to have ever participated in combat. Upon leaving the group, he participated in drafting a new constitution in 1991 and later became a respected lawmaker. He served as mayor of the capital city prior to his election the nation's highest office.
"I swore not to touch arms again ... but in defense of my country I shall resume arms again," he vowed.
Reinforced Protection and Broad Opposition
Minister Pedro Sánchez stated that Petro's security detail had been reinforced.
A segment of Colombia’s conservative opposition have expressed support with the US president, yet figures spanning the ideological divide have rejected the notion of American military action targeting Colombia.
Political and Economic Pressure
Washington cancelled the president's entry visa following he encouraged US troops to disobey any illegal orders. Later, in October, it placed asset freezes targeting Petro, his wife and several key allies.
At the same time the US was building up its forces near Venezuela and bombing vessels thought to carry drugs to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets executed strikes against vessels in the eastern Pacific region near Colombia.
