President Trump along with President Gustavo Petro have escalated the volume in their verbal conflict, heightening tensions bilaterally after American military units attacked Venezuela with the aim of deposing President Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He runs narcotics facilities and cocaine factories and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump remarked.
Rising Threats coupled with Claims
Addressing journalists over the weekend, Trump suggested analogous use of force against Bogotá, stating Colombia faces serious problems and “run by an unwell individual involved in producing cocaine and distributing it to the United States."
Although Colombia remains the globe's biggest cocaine-producing country, no proof exists linking President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is personally connected to the business.
A Frayed Alliance
The country was historically a close partner of Washington in the fight against narcotics trade and enjoyed wide political approval in Washington, yet ties have deteriorated markedly since Trump came to office.
Colombia’s narcotics trade is predominantly run by criminal organizations such as the Golf Clan, the ELN guerrilla group and renegade units of the former Farc guerrillas, the majority of whose members laid down arms subsequent to a 2016 peace deal.
Petro's Strong Response
In response to a query whether a military operation like that in Venezuela was a possibility against his country, Trump replied: "I like the sound of that from my perspective."
President Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who demobilised decades ago, rejected these allegations. "I am neither an illegitimate leader and I am not a narco," he stated.
"He comments without information. Cease defaming me," he posted online.
"Should American forces attack civilians, they will become thousands of guerrillas in the mountains. If they capture the president, whom a large part of the population holds in high esteem, they will unleash the fierce spirit of the nation," Petro warned.
From Guerrilla to Leader
Petro spent some years as a young man as a member of the leftist M-19 guerrilla group but is not believed to have ever took part in armed clashes. Upon leaving the group, he took part in writing the constitutional rewrite in 1991 and eventually served as a prominent senator. He was mayor of the Colombian capital prior to his election the presidency.
"I swore to abstain from using arms again ... but for Colombia I would take up arms again," he vowed.
Reinforced Protection and Widespread Rejection
The Colombian defence minister stated that Petro's protection team had received additional support.
Many among Colombia’s political right have allied themselves with the US president, yet figures from all sides of Colombian politics have denounced the notion of a US attack against their nation.
Bilateral and Financial Sanctions
Washington cancelled the president's entry visa subsequent to he urged US troops to ignore orders that violate law. Months later, authorities imposed financial sanctions targeting Petro, the first lady and several close collaborators.
At the same time the US was building up its troop levels in the region and bombing alleged narcotics traffickers to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces also carried out strikes on boats off the Pacific coast near Colombia.
