Donald Trump and President Gustavo Petro have escalated the tone of their exchange, increasing tensions bilaterally after US forces targeted Venezuela with the aim of deposing the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He operates drug factories and processing labs and that won't last much longer," Trump remarked.
Rising Rhetoric and Accusations
Speaking to journalists over the weekend, the American leader suggested analogous armed intervention towards the South American nation, stating the country is “very sick too” and “run by a problematic figure involved in producing the drug and trafficking it to the United States."
While Colombia is the leading source of the narcotic, there is no evidence implicating Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is in any way involved in the illicit industry.
A Strained Alliance
This nation has long been a staunch collaborator of Washington in the fight against drug trafficking and enjoyed bipartisan support from American politicians, but relations have worsened markedly following Trump came to office.
The nation's narcotics trade is mainly overseen by criminal organizations such as one major cartel, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and dissident factions of the demobilized Farc, the majority of whose members disbanded subsequent to a historic peace agreement.
Petro's Defiant Response
Upon being questioned whether armed intervention similar to Venezuela was being considered for Colombia, Trump responded: "I like the sound of that from my perspective."
The Colombian leader, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who left armed struggle in the 1990s, categorically refuted the accusations. "I am not an illegitimate leader nor am I a drug trafficker," he affirmed.
"He comments without knowledge. End the false accusations," he wrote in a post.
"If US bombs target rural communities, they will turn into a multitude of fighters across the countryside. And if they detain the nation's leader, whom a significant portion of Colombians loves and respects, they will provoke the ‘jaguar’ of the people," the president cautioned.
From Guerrilla to Leader
The president dedicated part of his youth as a member of the leftist M-19 armed organization but is not believed to have ever took part in armed clashes. After demobilizing, he took part in drafting the constitutional rewrite in 1991 and eventually served as a respected lawmaker. He was mayor of the Colombian capital before winning president.
"I swore to abstain from using arms again ... but for the homeland I shall resume arms again," he affirmed.
Heightened Measures along with Cross-Political Opposition
Minister Pedro Sánchez reported that Petro's personal security had been reinforced.
Many among Colombia’s right wing opposition have sided with Trump's stance, but voices spanning Colombian politics have condemned the possibility of American military action against their nation.
Bilateral and Economic Strains
The US revoked the president's entry visa following he encouraged US military personnel to ignore unlawful commands. Later, in October, it placed asset freezes targeting Petro, the first lady and various close collaborators.
At the same time as the US increased its troop levels near Venezuela and targeting vessels thought to carry drugs to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, the US executed operations on boats in Pacific waters adjacent to Colombia.
