Donald Trump along with President Gustavo Petro have turned up the rhetoric in their verbal conflict, further raising tensions between the two countries after American military units targeted Venezuela to remove President Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He has cocaine mills and cocaine factories and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump added.
Escalating Rhetoric and Claims
Addressing reporters on Sunday, the American leader threatened similar use of force against Colombia, asserting Colombia faces serious problems and led by an unwell individual who enjoys creating cocaine and selling it to the US."
Although Colombia remains the leading producer of cocaine, authorities have found no indication implicating Gustavo Petro, who was elected in 2022, is in any way involved in the illicit industry.
A Frayed Alliance
This nation has long been a key ally of the United States in the fight combating drug cartels and benefited from cross-party backing in the US capital, yet ties have soured significantly following Trump came to office.
Colombia’s narcotics trade is mainly overseen by illegal armed groups such as one major cartel, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and dissident factions of the demobilized Farc, a large contingent of whom disbanded following a 2016 peace deal.
The President's Strong Rebuttal
When asked whether military intervention similar to Venezuela was being considered for Colombia, Trump responded: "I like the sound of that to me."
President Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who disarmed decades ago, rejected these allegations. "I am neither an illegitimate leader and I am not a narco," he stated.
"The US president speaks uninformed. End the false accusations," he wrote in a message.
"Should American forces attack peasants, they will transform into thousands of guerrillas in the mountains. And should they arrest the nation's leader, whom a large part of the population loves and respects, they will release the ‘jaguar’ of the populace," the president cautioned.
From Insurgent to President
The president dedicated part of his youth as a member in the left-wing M-19 armed organization though it is believed he did not took part in armed clashes. Following his disarmament, he took part in drafting the constitutional rewrite in 1991 subsequently becoming a prominent senator. He was mayor of Bogotá before winning the nation's highest office.
"I made a vow not to touch a gun ... but in defense of my country I would take up weapons once more," he vowed.
Increased Security and Broad Condemnation
The Colombian defence minister stated that the national leader's protection team had been reinforced.
A segment of Colombia’s right wing opposition have sided with Trump, however, leaders from all sides of the political spectrum have rejected the threats of American military action targeting Colombia.
Bilateral and Economic Strains
American authorities withdrew Petro’s visa subsequent to he urged US troops to refuse any illegal orders. In October, the US enacted economic restrictions targeting Petro, his wife and various associates.
Simultaneously while America bolstered its troop levels near Venezuela and bombing alleged narcotics traffickers against Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces have also conducted strikes against vessels off the Pacific coast near Colombia.
