The US President along with his Colombian counterpart have escalated the tone in their verbal conflict, further raising strains in their relations after American military units attacked Venezuela with the aim of deposing Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He operates cocaine mills and processing labs and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump remarked.
Escalating Rhetoric coupled with Claims
Talking to reporters over the weekend, Trump hinted at similar use of force against Bogotá, asserting Colombia is “very sick too” and “run by a problematic figure involved in producing narcotics and selling it to the United States."
While Colombia stands as the globe's biggest source of the narcotic, no proof exists implicating Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is directly involved in the business.
A Deteriorating Alliance
Colombia for decades served as a key ally of the United States in the campaign against drug trafficking and enjoyed wide political approval in the US capital, yet ties have soured significantly since Trump was elected.
The nation's drug trade is predominantly run by criminal organizations such as one major cartel, the ELN guerrilla group and dissident factions of the former Farc guerrillas, the majority of whose members laid down arms subsequent to a landmark accord.
Colombia's Strong Rebuttal
When asked if a military operation comparable to Venezuela was on the cards regarding Colombia, Trump replied: "I like the sound of that to me."
The Colombian leader, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who left armed struggle in the last century, firmly denied Trump's claims. "I am not illegitimate and I am not a narco," he declared.
"Trump speaks uninformed. Stop slandering me," he wrote online.
"Should American forces attack peasants, they will become thousands of guerrillas in the hills. And if they detain me, which a significant portion of Colombians holds in high esteem, they will release the ‘jaguar’ of the populace," Petro warned.
From Insurgent to President
Petro spent part of his youth participating of the leftist M-19 armed organization although reports indicate that he never took part in armed clashes. Following his disarmament, he participated in writing the constitutional rewrite in 1991 and eventually served as a prominent senator. He served as mayor of the Colombian capital before being elected president.
"I made a vow to abstain from using a gun ... but in defense of my country I would take up weapons once more," he said.
Heightened Measures and Broad Condemnation
Minister Pedro Sánchez announced that the national leader's protection team had been reinforced.
A segment of Colombia’s right wing opposition have allied themselves with Trump, but voices from across the political spectrum have condemned the notion of an invasion against their nation.
Diplomatic and Financial Strains
Washington cancelled Petro’s visa subsequent to he urged American soldiers to disobey unlawful commands. Months later, authorities imposed asset freezes against the president, his spouse and several associates.
Simultaneously while America bolstered its forces in the region and striking suspected drug boats to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, the US also carried out attacks against vessels off the Pacific coast near Colombia.
