The US President along with Colombia's president have intensified the rhetoric in their verbal conflict, increasing tensions bilaterally following US forces attacked Venezuela to remove President Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He runs drug factories and cocaine factories and his time is running out," Trump remarked.
Growing Tensions and Allegations
Addressing the press on Sunday, Trump threatened comparable armed intervention towards the South American nation, asserting the country is also "very ill" and led by an unwell individual who likes making the drug and selling it to America."
While Colombia stands as the world’s largest cocaine-producing country, authorities have found no indication implicating Gustavo Petro, who was elected in 2022, is directly connected to the trade.
A Frayed Relationship
This nation was historically a key ally of the US in the campaign combating drug cartels and received bipartisan support in Washington, yet ties have worsened dramatically following Trump came to office.
Its narcotics trade is predominantly run by criminal organizations like the Clan del Golfo, the ELN guerrilla group and dissident factions of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), the majority of whose members demobilised after a 2016 peace deal.
Petro's Strong Rebuttal
Upon being questioned if military intervention similar to Venezuela was being considered for Colombia, Trump said: "It sounds good to me."
President Petro, an ex-guerrilla fighter who left armed struggle in the 1990s, categorically refuted Trump's claims. "I am no an illegitimate leader and I am not a narco," he affirmed.
"He comments without knowledge. Cease defaming me," he posted online.
"If they [the US] bomb peasants, they will turn into thousands of guerrillas in the mountains. And should they arrest the nation's leader, whom a large part of the population admires and supports, they will unleash the powerful force of the nation," the president cautioned.
From Insurgent to Statesman
Petro spent some years as a young man participating in the left-wing M-19 guerrilla group but is not believed he did not took part in armed clashes. Following his disarmament, he took part in writing a new constitution in 1991 and later became a prominent senator. He held the office of mayor of the Colombian capital before winning the nation's highest office.
"I pledged not to touch a gun ... but for the homeland I will take up weapons once more," he vowed.
Heightened Measures and Widespread Condemnation
Colombia's defense chief stated that the national leader's security detail had been reinforced.
Several members of Colombia’s political right have expressed support with Trump's stance, however, leaders from all sides of the political spectrum have rejected the threats of an invasion on Colombia.
Political and Economic Strains
Washington revoked his travel authorization subsequent to he urged US troops to refuse any illegal orders. In October, authorities imposed asset freezes against the president, his wife and several key allies.
At the same time while America bolstered its military presence in the Caribbean and bombing suspected drug boats to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, the US also carried out operations on maritime targets in Pacific waters off the Colombian coast.
