President Trump along with President Gustavo Petro have turned up the rhetoric in their verbal conflict, heightening strains in their relations following US forces targeted Venezuela in an operation to oust Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He has drug factories and processing labs and is not going to be doing it very long," the US president stated.
Escalating Rhetoric coupled with Accusations
Speaking to journalists over the weekend, the American leader suggested comparable use of force against Bogotá, stating Colombia is “very sick too” and led by an unwell individual who enjoys creating narcotics and trafficking it to America."
While Colombia is the leading cocaine-producing country, authorities have found no indication linking President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is personally connected to the trade.
A Strained Alliance
The country for decades served as a key ally of the US in the fight against narcotics trade and enjoyed cross-party backing from American politicians, yet ties have worsened dramatically after Trump came to office.
The nation's drug trade is predominantly run by guerrilla factions like the Clan del Golfo, the ELN guerrilla group and dissident factions of the former Farc guerrillas, most of its former fighters demobilised following a landmark accord.
Colombia's Firm Rebuttal
Upon being questioned if armed intervention comparable to Venezuela was a possibility for Colombia, Trump said: "It sounds good to me personally."
The Colombian leader, an ex-guerrilla fighter who demobilised in the last century, rejected the accusations. "I am not illegitimate and I am not involved in narcotics," he stated.
"Trump speaks without information. Cease defaming me," he wrote online.
"Should American forces attack peasants, they will turn into thousands of guerrillas in the hills. If they capture the president, which many of the country admires and supports, they will provoke the powerful force of the people," the president cautioned.
From Fighter to President
The president dedicated some years as a young man as a member of the leftist M-19 armed organization although reports indicate to have ever took part in armed clashes. Following his disarmament, he took part in writing the constitutional rewrite in 1991 and eventually served as a prominent senator. He held the office of mayor of Bogotá before winning the nation's highest office.
"I swore not to touch arms again ... but in defense of my country I shall resume weapons once more," he affirmed.
Reinforced Protection along with Cross-Political Opposition
Colombia's defense chief stated that the president’s security detail had been reinforced.
A segment of Colombia’s conservative opposition have allied themselves with Trump's stance, however, leaders from across the ideological divide have denounced the notion of American military action against their nation.
Bilateral and Financial Strains
The US revoked Petro’s visa subsequent to he encouraged American soldiers to disobey orders that violate law. Later, in October, the US enacted asset freezes against the president, the first lady and a number of associates.
At the same time while America bolstered its troop levels in the region and bombing alleged narcotics traffickers to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces also carried out strikes on maritime targets off the Pacific coast near Colombia.
