President Trump and his Colombian counterpart have escalated the volume in their verbal conflict, further raising strains bilaterally following US forces attacked Venezuela in an operation to oust President Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He has drug factories and production sites and that won't last much longer," the US president stated.
Growing Rhetoric and Allegations
Addressing reporters on Sunday, the American leader suggested comparable armed intervention against Colombia, asserting the nation is also "very ill" and “run by a problematic figure who enjoys creating the drug and distributing it to the United States."
Although Colombia is the leading source of the narcotic, authorities have found no indication that President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is directly involved in the trade.
A Deteriorating Relationship
The country for decades served as a staunch collaborator of the United States in the campaign against drug trafficking and enjoyed bipartisan support in the US capital, but relations have worsened significantly since Trump assumed the presidency.
Its narcotics trade is predominantly run by criminal organizations including the Clan del Golfo, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and breakaway groups of the former Farc guerrillas, the majority of whose members demobilised after a historic peace agreement.
Petro's Defiant Rebuttal
In response to a query whether a military operation like that in Venezuela was on the cards against his country, Trump replied: "It sounds good to me personally."
Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who disarmed in the last century, rejected Trump's claims. "I am not an illegitimate leader and certainly not a narco," he declared.
"The US president speaks without knowledge. End the false accusations," he posted online.
"If they [the US] bomb rural communities, they will transform into a multitude of fighters across the countryside. If they capture the nation's leader, whom a large part of the country holds in high esteem, they will unleash the ‘jaguar’ of the people," Petro warned.
From Fighter to Statesman
Petro spent part of his youth belonging of the leftist M-19 armed organization but is not believed that he never engaged in fighting. After demobilizing, he took part in writing a new constitution in 1991 subsequently becoming an influential politician. He was mayor of Bogotá before being elected the presidency.
"I made a vow to never again hold arms again ... but in defense of my country I would take up arms again," he said.
Increased Security along with Broad Condemnation
Colombia's defense chief stated that Petro's protection team had received additional support.
Several members of Colombia’s political right have allied themselves with the US president, but voices from all sides of the political spectrum have condemned the notion of a US attack on Colombia.
Diplomatic and Financial Strains
American authorities cancelled Petro’s visa subsequent to he urged US troops to disobey unlawful commands. Months later, authorities imposed financial sanctions against the president, his wife and several key allies.
Concurrently the US was building up its troop levels in the region and bombing suspected drug boats against Venezuela’s Maduro, the US also carried out operations on boats in Pacific waters near Colombia.
