Donald Trump and President Gustavo Petro have intensified the rhetoric of their war of words, increasing tensions between the two countries after US forces struck Venezuela in an operation to oust President Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He has drug factories and production sites and is not going to be doing it very long," the US president stated.
Rising Tensions coupled with Accusations
Talking to journalists on Sunday, Trump threatened comparable armed intervention against Colombia, stating the nation is “very sick too” and led by a problematic figure involved in producing narcotics and selling it to the United States."
Although Colombia is the leading producer of cocaine, there is no evidence implicating Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is in any way involved in the business.
A Strained Relationship
This nation for decades served as a key ally of the United States in the campaign against drug trafficking and enjoyed bipartisan support from American politicians, yet ties have soured dramatically since Trump came to office.
The nation's illicit drug economy is predominantly run by criminal organizations such as one major cartel, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and breakaway groups of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), most of its former fighters laid down arms after a historic peace agreement.
The President's Firm Response
When asked whether armed intervention like that in Venezuela was on the cards regarding Colombia, Trump responded: "It sounds good to me."
Petro, an ex-guerrilla fighter who demobilised in the last century, categorically refuted these allegations. "I am not an illegitimate leader and I am not a drug trafficker," he declared.
"The US president speaks without information. Stop slandering me," he expressed online.
"Should American forces attack civilians, they will become a multitude of fighters in the hills. And if they detain the nation's leader, which many of the population holds in high esteem, they will provoke the powerful force of the people," the president cautioned.
From Insurgent to Leader
The president dedicated part of his youth as a member with the radical M-19 guerrilla group but is not believed to have ever engaged in fighting. Upon leaving the group, he was involved in writing a new constitution in 1991 and eventually served as a respected lawmaker. He was mayor of Bogotá before winning the presidency.
"I pledged to never again hold a gun ... but for Colombia I will take up arms again," he affirmed.
Reinforced Protection along with Broad Rejection
Colombia's defense chief announced that the national leader's security detail had received additional support.
A segment of Colombia’s political right have expressed support with the US president, yet figures from across the political spectrum have denounced the notion of a US attack against their nation.
Bilateral and Economic Sanctions
The US revoked his travel authorization subsequent to he called on US troops to ignore any illegal orders. In October, authorities imposed economic restrictions against the president, his wife and various close collaborators.
Concurrently the US was building up its forces in the region and striking suspected drug boats against Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets have also conducted operations on maritime targets off the Pacific coast adjacent to Colombia.
