President Trump and President Gustavo Petro have escalated the tone of their war of words, further raising strains between the two countries following American military units struck Venezuela in an operation to oust Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He runs cocaine mills and cocaine factories and his time is running out," the US president stated.
Escalating Tensions and Accusations
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, the US president threatened comparable use of force against Colombia, claiming Colombia is also "very ill" and governed by an unwell individual involved in producing narcotics and trafficking it to the United States."
While Colombia stands as the world’s largest source of the narcotic, there is no evidence implicating Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is personally involved in the illicit industry.
A Deteriorating Alliance
This nation was historically a key ally of Washington in the struggle against drug trafficking and benefited from cross-party backing in Washington, yet ties have deteriorated markedly following Trump came to office.
Its narcotics trade is mainly overseen by guerrilla factions including one major cartel, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and breakaway groups of the demobilized Farc, most of its former fighters disbanded following a 2016 peace deal.
Colombia's Defiant Answer
In response to a query whether military intervention like that in Venezuela was a possibility regarding Colombia, Trump said: "It sounds good from my perspective."
Petro, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who demobilised in the 1990s, rejected the accusations. "I am not illegitimate nor am I a drug trafficker," he stated.
"He comments without information. Stop slandering me," he wrote online.
"Should American forces attack peasants, they will turn into a multitude of fighters in the mountains. And if they detain me, whom many of Colombians holds in high esteem, they will unleash the fierce spirit of the people," Petro warned.
From Insurgent to President
Petro spent some years as a young man as a member with the radical M-19 insurgent movement though it is believed that he never participated in combat. After demobilizing, he took part in drafting the constitutional rewrite in the early 90s and eventually served as an influential politician. He was mayor of the capital city before winning the presidency.
"I swore not to touch a weapon again ... but for the homeland I would take up the fight," he vowed.
Heightened Measures and Cross-Political Condemnation
Minister Pedro Sánchez stated that the national leader's security detail was strengthened.
Several members of Colombia’s political right have allied themselves with Trump, however, leaders from all sides of the political spectrum have denounced the notion of American military action against their nation.
Political and Financial Strains
American authorities withdrew the president's entry visa following he called on US military personnel to disobey any illegal orders. Later, in October, it placed asset freezes against the president, the first lady and a number of key allies.
Simultaneously while America bolstered its forces near Venezuela and striking suspected drug boats to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets have also conducted operations on boats in the eastern Pacific region off the Colombian coast.
