The US President along with Colombia's president have turned up the tone in their verbal conflict, further raising strains bilaterally following US forces attacked Venezuela to remove the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He runs drug factories and production sites and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump remarked.
Rising Threats coupled with Accusations
Addressing the press on Sunday, Trump threatened analogous military action against Bogotá, claiming the nation is “very sick too” and led by an unwell individual who likes making narcotics and selling it to the United States."
While Colombia is the leading producer of cocaine, no proof exists that President Gustavo Petro, who was elected in 2022, is personally tied to the business.
A Frayed Partnership
Colombia has long been a staunch collaborator of the US in the fight combating drug cartels and benefited from cross-party backing in Washington, however, the relationship have soured significantly since Trump came to office.
The nation's illicit drug economy is mainly overseen by criminal organizations such as the Clan del Golfo, the ELN guerrilla group and renegade units of the demobilized Farc, the majority of whose members demobilised following a landmark accord.
The President's Firm Answer
When asked if armed intervention similar to Venezuela was a possibility regarding Colombia, Trump replied: "It sounds good from my perspective."
The Colombian leader, an ex-guerrilla fighter who left armed struggle in the last century, firmly denied these allegations. "I am not an illegitimate leader and certainly not a narco," he declared.
"He comments uninformed. Cease defaming me," he wrote in a post.
"If US bombs target civilians, they will become thousands of guerrillas across the countryside. And should they arrest the president, whom many of the population holds in high esteem, they will provoke the fierce spirit of the nation," Petro warned.
From Fighter to President
The president dedicated a period in his early life as a member of the leftist M-19 insurgent movement though it is believed to have ever took part in armed clashes. After demobilizing, he took part in creating the nation's constitution in 1991 and eventually served as a respected lawmaker. He held the office of mayor of Bogotá before winning the presidency.
"I made a vow to never again hold arms again ... but for the homeland I will take up arms again," he said.
Increased Security along with Broad Opposition
Colombia's defense chief announced that the president’s personal security had been reinforced.
A segment of Colombia’s political right have expressed support with the US president, however, leaders spanning the political spectrum have rejected the possibility of American military action targeting Colombia.
Diplomatic and Financial Sanctions
American authorities revoked Petro’s visa after he called on US military personnel to disobey any illegal orders. In October, it placed asset freezes against the president, his wife and a number of associates.
Simultaneously the US was building up its military presence in the region and striking vessels thought to carry drugs to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces also carried out operations on boats in the eastern Pacific region off the Colombian coast.
