Donald Trump and his Colombian counterpart have escalated the rhetoric of their war of words, further raising tensions between the two countries following American military units attacked Venezuela with the aim of deposing Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He has cocaine mills and processing labs and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump remarked.
Growing Rhetoric and Allegations
Addressing the press over the weekend, the American leader suggested comparable military action against Bogotá, claiming the nation is also "very ill" and governed by an unwell individual who likes making narcotics and selling it to America."
Although Colombia stands as the globe's biggest cocaine-producing country, there is no evidence linking President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is personally tied to the trade.
A Strained Partnership
This nation for decades served as a key ally of the US in the campaign against drug trafficking and received bipartisan support in Washington, yet ties have worsened significantly following Trump came to office.
The nation's drug trade is predominantly run by illegal armed groups such as the Clan del Golfo, another leftist insurgency and dissident factions of the former Farc guerrillas, a large contingent of whom demobilised after a 2016 peace deal.
Colombia's Firm Answer
When asked if armed intervention similar to Venezuela was being considered regarding Colombia, Trump replied: "It sounds good from my perspective."
President Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who demobilised in the last century, firmly denied these allegations. "I am no illegitimate and certainly not involved in narcotics," he declared.
"Trump speaks without knowledge. Stop slandering me," he posted online.
"If they [the US] bomb rural communities, they will transform into numerous insurgents in the mountains. And should they arrest me, which many of Colombians loves and respects, they will unleash the ‘jaguar’ of the nation," he admonished.
From Insurgent to Statesman
Petro spent a period in his early life as a member in the left-wing M-19 guerrilla group although reports indicate that he never participated in combat. After demobilizing, he took part in writing the constitutional rewrite in 1991 and eventually served as a prominent senator. He held the office of mayor of the capital city prior to his election president.
"I made a vow not to touch a gun ... but for the homeland I shall resume weapons once more," he said.
Reinforced Protection and Broad Opposition
The Colombian defence minister announced that the president’s protection team had been reinforced.
A segment of Colombia’s political right have allied themselves with Trump's stance, but voices from across the political spectrum have denounced the possibility of American military action targeting Colombia.
Bilateral and Financial Strains
The US withdrew Petro’s visa after he urged US troops to refuse orders that violate law. Months later, it placed economic restrictions against the president, his spouse and various close collaborators.
At the same time as the US increased its forces in the Caribbean and targeting suspected drug boats against Venezuela’s Maduro, the US executed operations on maritime targets off the Pacific coast adjacent to Colombia.
