Donald Trump and Colombia's president have escalated the tone of their exchange, further raising strains between the two countries after US forces targeted Venezuela to remove the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He runs cocaine mills and cocaine factories and is not going to be doing it very long," the US president stated.
Rising Rhetoric coupled with Accusations
Speaking to journalists over the weekend, the US president threatened analogous military action against Bogotá, claiming the nation is also "very ill" and led by an unwell individual who enjoys creating narcotics and distributing it to America."
While Colombia remains the globe's biggest source of the narcotic, authorities have found no indication implicating Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is personally involved in the illicit industry.
A Deteriorating Partnership
Colombia has long been a close partner of the United States in the fight against narcotics trade and received bipartisan support in Washington, but relations have worsened markedly since Trump assumed the presidency.
Its narcotics trade is predominantly run by guerrilla factions such as one major cartel, another leftist insurgency and dissident factions of the former Farc guerrillas, most of its former fighters demobilised subsequent to a 2016 peace deal.
Petro's Firm Answer
Upon being questioned if armed intervention like that in Venezuela was on the cards regarding Colombia, Trump said: "I like the sound of that to me personally."
The Colombian leader, a former leftist guerrilla who disarmed in the last century, firmly denied the accusations. "I am not illegitimate and certainly not involved in narcotics," he stated.
"He comments uninformed. Stop slandering me," he wrote in a message.
"Should American forces attack peasants, they will transform into a multitude of fighters in the mountains. And if they detain the nation's leader, whom many of the country loves and respects, they will release the powerful force of the nation," he admonished.
From Fighter to Leader
The president dedicated part of his youth participating in the left-wing M-19 insurgent movement but is not believed that he never participated in combat. After demobilizing, he was involved in creating the nation's constitution over three decades ago and later became an influential politician. He served as mayor of the capital city before being elected president.
"I swore not to touch arms again ... but for the homeland I would take up the fight," he affirmed.
Increased Security along with Cross-Political Rejection
Colombia's defense chief announced that Petro's security detail was strengthened.
A segment of Colombia’s right wing opposition have allied themselves with Trump's stance, but voices spanning Colombian politics have rejected the possibility of an invasion on Colombia.
Political and Economic Strains
American authorities withdrew his travel authorization after he called on US troops to disobey any illegal orders. In October, it placed asset freezes against the president, his spouse and several close collaborators.
Concurrently as the US increased its military presence near Venezuela and striking alleged narcotics traffickers to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces have also conducted operations on maritime targets in Pacific waters adjacent to Colombia.
