The US President along with President Gustavo Petro have intensified the volume of their war of words, further raising strains in their relations after American military units targeted Venezuela in an operation to oust the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He operates drug factories and processing labs and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump remarked.
Rising Rhetoric coupled with Accusations
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Trump hinted at comparable armed intervention against Bogotá, claiming Colombia is “very sick too” and “run by an unwell individual who enjoys creating narcotics and trafficking it to the United States."
While Colombia is the world’s largest cocaine-producing country, there is no evidence linking President Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is directly tied to the business.
A Frayed Alliance
The country was historically a close partner of Washington in the campaign against narcotics trade and enjoyed wide political approval in Washington, yet ties have deteriorated markedly after Trump was elected.
Its narcotics trade is predominantly run by guerrilla factions such as one major cartel, another leftist insurgency and dissident factions of the demobilized Farc, the majority of whose members disbanded subsequent to a landmark accord.
Colombia's Firm Rebuttal
Upon being questioned whether a military operation similar to Venezuela was being considered against his country, Trump replied: "It sounds good to me."
President Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who left armed struggle in the last century, firmly denied Trump's claims. "I am neither an illegitimate leader and I am not a drug trafficker," he declared.
"Trump speaks uninformed. Stop slandering me," he wrote in a message.
"Should American forces attack peasants, they will transform into a multitude of fighters in the mountains. And should they arrest the president, whom a significant portion of the population loves and respects, they will provoke the ‘jaguar’ of the people," he admonished.
From Guerrilla to Statesman
Petro spent a period in his early life as a member with the radical M-19 insurgent movement but is not believed he did not engaged in fighting. Following his disarmament, he participated in drafting the constitutional rewrite in 1991 and eventually served as a prominent senator. He was mayor of Bogotá before winning the presidency.
"I swore to never again hold a weapon again ... but for the homeland I will take up the fight," he affirmed.
Reinforced Protection and Broad Rejection
The Colombian defence minister reported that the president’s personal security was strengthened.
A segment of Colombia’s right wing opposition have expressed support with Trump, but voices from across Colombian politics have denounced the threats of American military action on Colombia.
Bilateral and Financial Strains
American authorities cancelled his travel authorization following he called on US troops to refuse orders that violate law. Months later, the US enacted asset freezes against the president, the first lady and several associates.
At the same time while America bolstered its forces in the Caribbean and striking vessels thought to carry drugs to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces executed operations on maritime targets in Pacific waters near Colombia.
