President Trump and President Gustavo Petro have intensified the tone in their verbal conflict, increasing strains between the two countries after US forces attacked Venezuela to remove the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He runs narcotics facilities and cocaine factories and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump added.
Rising Rhetoric and Allegations
Addressing journalists on Sunday, the American leader hinted at analogous military action towards the South American nation, stating Colombia is “very sick too” and governed by an unwell individual who likes making narcotics and trafficking it to the United States."
While Colombia is the globe's biggest cocaine-producing country, there is no evidence that President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is in any way tied to the business.
A Deteriorating Relationship
This nation was historically a key ally of the United States in the fight against drug trafficking and received wide political approval in Washington, yet ties have soured dramatically following Trump came to office.
The nation's illicit drug economy is mainly overseen by guerrilla factions such as the Clan del Golfo, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and renegade units of the demobilized Farc, a large contingent of whom demobilised subsequent to a historic peace agreement.
Petro's Defiant Rebuttal
In response to a query whether a military operation comparable to Venezuela was a possibility regarding Colombia, Trump replied: "That seems like a good idea from my perspective."
Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who demobilised decades ago, rejected Trump's claims. "I am not illegitimate and I am not involved in narcotics," he stated.
"He comments uninformed. Cease defaming me," he expressed online.
"If they [the US] bomb rural communities, they will transform into thousands of guerrillas in the mountains. And if they detain the nation's leader, whom a significant portion of Colombians holds in high esteem, they will provoke the powerful force of the people," the president cautioned.
From Guerrilla to Leader
Petro spent a period in his early life participating of the leftist M-19 guerrilla group but is not believed to have ever took part in armed clashes. Following his disarmament, he took part in creating the constitutional rewrite in the early 90s and eventually served as an influential politician. He served as mayor of Bogotá before being elected the nation's highest office.
"I swore to abstain from using arms again ... but for the homeland I shall resume weapons once more," he said.
Heightened Measures along with Broad Opposition
The Colombian defence minister announced that Petro's personal security was strengthened.
A segment of Colombia’s right wing opposition have expressed support with the US president, however, leaders spanning Colombian politics have condemned the possibility of a US attack on Colombia.
Bilateral and Financial Pressure
The US cancelled his travel authorization subsequent to he urged US troops to disobey orders that violate law. In October, the US enacted economic restrictions targeting Petro, the first lady and a number of close collaborators.
Concurrently while America bolstered its troop levels in the region and striking vessels thought to carry drugs against Venezuela’s Maduro, the US have also conducted strikes on maritime targets off the Pacific coast near Colombia.
