Donald Trump along with President Gustavo Petro have escalated the tone in their verbal conflict, increasing tensions bilaterally following American military units attacked Venezuela to remove Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He has drug factories and cocaine factories and his time is running out," Trump remarked.
Escalating Tensions and Claims
Talking to reporters on Sunday, the American leader suggested analogous armed intervention against Bogotá, asserting the country faces serious problems and governed by a sick man who enjoys creating cocaine and selling it to the United States."
While Colombia is the world’s largest source of the narcotic, there is no evidence that President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is in any way connected to the business.
A Strained Partnership
The country for decades served as a staunch collaborator of the US in the campaign against narcotics trade and received cross-party backing in Washington, but relations have worsened markedly since Trump assumed the presidency.
The nation's drug trade is largely controlled by criminal organizations including one major cartel, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and dissident factions of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), a large contingent of whom laid down arms following a landmark accord.
The President's Defiant Response
When asked whether military intervention like that in Venezuela was being considered for Colombia, Trump said: "I like the sound of that to me personally."
President Petro, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who left armed struggle in the last century, rejected the accusations. "I am neither an illegitimate leader and I am not a drug trafficker," he declared.
"The US president speaks without knowledge. End the false accusations," he expressed online.
"If US bombs target rural communities, they will turn into numerous insurgents in the mountains. And should they arrest the president, which a large part of the population admires and supports, they will release the ‘jaguar’ of the people," Petro warned.
From Fighter to President
The president dedicated a period in his early life participating of the leftist M-19 insurgent movement though it is believed that he never participated in combat. After demobilizing, he was involved in drafting the nation's constitution in the early 90s and later became a prominent senator. He was mayor of the Colombian capital before winning the nation's highest office.
"I swore not to touch a weapon again ... but for Colombia I would take up the fight," he affirmed.
Increased Security along with Cross-Political Rejection
Minister Pedro Sánchez announced that the national leader's security detail had been reinforced.
Several members of Colombia’s right wing opposition have expressed support with Trump, yet figures from all sides of the political spectrum have condemned the possibility of a US attack on Colombia.
Political and Financial Pressure
The US withdrew Petro’s visa subsequent to he called on US troops to disobey unlawful commands. In October, it placed financial sanctions on Petro, the first lady and a number of associates.
Concurrently the US was building up its military presence in the region and bombing suspected drug boats to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, the US have also conducted operations on maritime targets in Pacific waters near Colombia.
