The US President and his Colombian counterpart have turned up the volume of their war of words, increasing strains in their relations after American military units struck Venezuela to remove the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He runs cocaine mills and cocaine factories and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump remarked.
Rising Rhetoric coupled with Claims
Talking to journalists over the weekend, the US president hinted at similar military action against Bogotá, claiming the country is “very sick too” and “run by a sick man who likes making cocaine and trafficking it to the US."
While Colombia stands as the globe's biggest source of the narcotic, there is no evidence linking President Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is in any way involved in the illicit industry.
A Deteriorating Relationship
Colombia has long been a staunch collaborator of Washington in the fight against drug trafficking and received bipartisan support in the US capital, but relations have worsened markedly following Trump assumed the presidency.
The nation's illicit drug economy is mainly overseen by illegal armed groups such as the Golf Clan, another leftist insurgency and dissident factions of the former Farc guerrillas, a large contingent of whom demobilised subsequent to a 2016 peace deal.
Colombia's Strong Rebuttal
Upon being questioned whether a military operation similar to Venezuela was on the cards for Colombia, Trump said: "I like the sound of that to me personally."
The Colombian leader, an ex-guerrilla fighter who disarmed in the 1990s, firmly denied Trump's claims. "I am not illegitimate and I am not involved in narcotics," he declared.
"The US president speaks uninformed. Cease defaming me," he expressed in a post.
"Should American forces attack peasants, they will transform into thousands of guerrillas in the mountains. If they capture the president, whom many of the population admires and supports, they will unleash the fierce spirit of the nation," Petro warned.
From Guerrilla to Leader
The president dedicated some years as a young man belonging of the leftist M-19 guerrilla group although reports indicate that he never took part in armed clashes. After demobilizing, he was involved in writing a new constitution in the early 90s subsequently becoming a prominent senator. He held the office of mayor of the capital city prior to his election the presidency.
"I swore not to touch arms again ... but in defense of my country I will take up arms again," he affirmed.
Heightened Measures along with Widespread Opposition
Colombia's defense chief stated that the president’s protection team was strengthened.
Several members of Colombia’s right wing opposition have allied themselves with Trump's stance, yet figures from across Colombian politics have denounced the notion of a US attack on Colombia.
Diplomatic and Economic Pressure
Washington revoked Petro’s visa following he urged American soldiers to ignore orders that violate law. Months later, it placed financial sanctions on Petro, his spouse and various close collaborators.
Simultaneously while America bolstered its forces near Venezuela and targeting alleged narcotics traffickers to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets also carried out attacks against vessels in the eastern Pacific region near Colombia.
