Donald Trump along with his Colombian counterpart have turned up the rhetoric of their exchange, further raising tensions between the two countries following US forces targeted Venezuela in an operation to oust Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He runs narcotics facilities and processing labs and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump added.
Escalating Tensions coupled with Accusations
Talking to journalists over the weekend, the US president threatened comparable use of force against Bogotá, claiming Colombia is also "very ill" and governed by a sick man who likes making narcotics and selling it to America."
Although Colombia remains the world’s largest producer of cocaine, no proof exists that President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is personally tied to the business.
A Deteriorating Alliance
This nation was historically a staunch collaborator of the US in the struggle against narcotics trade and received cross-party backing in Washington, yet ties have worsened dramatically following Trump was elected.
Its narcotics trade is predominantly run by criminal organizations such as the Clan del Golfo, another leftist insurgency and renegade units of the demobilized Farc, most of its former fighters demobilised subsequent to a 2016 peace deal.
Petro's Defiant Answer
In response to a query if military intervention similar to Venezuela was being considered regarding Colombia, Trump replied: "It sounds good from my perspective."
The Colombian leader, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who demobilised in the last century, rejected Trump's claims. "I am not illegitimate and certainly not a drug trafficker," he declared.
"Trump speaks uninformed. Cease defaming me," he expressed in a message.
"If US bombs target civilians, they will turn into a multitude of fighters in the mountains. And if they detain the president, whom a large part of the population admires and supports, they will provoke the fierce spirit of the people," Petro warned.
From Insurgent to President
The president dedicated some years as a young man as a member with the radical M-19 insurgent movement although reports indicate that he never engaged in fighting. After demobilizing, he was involved in creating a new constitution in 1991 and later became a respected lawmaker. He held the office of mayor of Bogotá before being elected president.
"I swore to never again hold arms again ... but for Colombia I will take up the fight," he affirmed.
Heightened Measures and Widespread Opposition
Colombia's defense chief reported that Petro's personal security had been reinforced.
A segment of Colombia’s conservative opposition have sided with the US president, but voices from across the ideological divide have rejected the notion of an invasion targeting Colombia.
Political and Economic Pressure
Washington withdrew his travel authorization following he called on US military personnel to disobey unlawful commands. Months later, it placed asset freezes on Petro, his spouse and several key allies.
Simultaneously the US was building up its forces in the Caribbean and striking vessels thought to carry drugs to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, the US executed operations against vessels off the Pacific coast off the Colombian coast.
