President Trump and his Colombian counterpart have intensified the rhetoric of their exchange, increasing strains between the two countries after US forces targeted Venezuela in an operation to oust President Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He runs narcotics facilities and processing labs and his time is running out," the US president stated.
Escalating Rhetoric coupled with Claims
Addressing reporters on Sunday, the US president threatened analogous use of force against Colombia, claiming the country faces serious problems and governed by an unwell individual who enjoys creating narcotics and distributing it to the US."
Although Colombia stands as the globe's biggest cocaine-producing country, authorities have found no indication linking President Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is directly involved in the illicit industry.
A Strained Partnership
Colombia has long been a staunch collaborator of Washington in the struggle against narcotics trade and benefited from wide political approval in Washington, however, the relationship have worsened significantly since Trump assumed the presidency.
Colombia’s illicit drug economy is largely controlled by illegal armed groups including the Clan del Golfo, another leftist insurgency and breakaway groups of the former Farc guerrillas, the majority of whose members laid down arms after a 2016 peace deal.
The President's Defiant Response
When asked whether military intervention similar to Venezuela was on the cards regarding Colombia, Trump responded: "It sounds good from my perspective."
Petro, an ex-guerrilla fighter who left armed struggle in the 1990s, categorically refuted Trump's claims. "I am not illegitimate nor am I a drug trafficker," he stated.
"He comments uninformed. Cease defaming me," he posted online.
"If they [the US] bomb rural communities, they will transform into thousands of guerrillas across the countryside. If they capture me, which a large part of the population admires and supports, they will release the fierce spirit of the populace," the president cautioned.
From Fighter to Leader
He passed some years as a young man as a member in the left-wing M-19 insurgent movement though it is believed he did not engaged in fighting. Upon leaving the group, he was involved in creating the constitutional rewrite over three decades ago subsequently becoming an influential politician. He served as mayor of the Colombian capital before being elected the presidency.
"I pledged to abstain from using arms again ... but for the homeland I will take up weapons once more," he affirmed.
Heightened Measures and Broad Opposition
The Colombian defence minister stated that the president’s personal security was strengthened.
Several members of Colombia’s conservative opposition have expressed support with the US president, but voices spanning the ideological divide have rejected the threats of a US attack targeting Colombia.
Diplomatic and Economic Strains
American authorities cancelled the president's entry visa following he urged US military personnel to ignore any illegal orders. Later, in October, authorities imposed asset freezes against the president, his wife and a number of key allies.
Concurrently as the US increased its troop levels in the region and striking vessels thought to carry drugs to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets have also conducted operations against vessels in Pacific waters off the Colombian coast.
