President Trump along with Colombia's president have intensified the rhetoric of their exchange, heightening strains between the two countries following US forces attacked Venezuela to remove the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He has drug factories and production sites and his time is running out," the US president stated.
Escalating Rhetoric and Claims
Addressing journalists on Sunday, the US president threatened comparable use of force against Bogotá, stating the nation is also "very ill" and “run by a sick man involved in producing narcotics and selling it to the US."
While Colombia stands as the leading source of the narcotic, no proof exists implicating Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is directly connected to the trade.
A Deteriorating Alliance
The country has long been a staunch collaborator of the US in the struggle combating drug cartels and benefited from wide political approval in the US capital, yet ties have deteriorated significantly after Trump was elected.
Its drug trade is predominantly run by criminal organizations like one major cartel, another leftist insurgency and renegade units of the demobilized Farc, the majority of whose members laid down arms after a 2016 peace deal.
The President's Defiant Response
When asked whether military intervention comparable to Venezuela was being considered against his country, Trump replied: "It sounds good to me."
Petro, an ex-guerrilla fighter who disarmed in the last century, rejected Trump's claims. "I am no an illegitimate leader and I am not a narco," he affirmed.
"Trump speaks without knowledge. Cease defaming me," he posted in a post.
"If they [the US] bomb rural communities, they will transform into thousands of guerrillas in the hills. If they capture the president, whom many of the population loves and respects, they will provoke the ‘jaguar’ of the populace," the president cautioned.
From Insurgent to Statesman
He passed some years as a young man belonging in the left-wing M-19 insurgent movement although reports indicate he did not engaged in fighting. Following his disarmament, he participated in creating the nation's constitution over three decades ago subsequently becoming an influential politician. He held the office of mayor of the Colombian capital before being elected the presidency.
"I pledged to never again hold arms again ... but for Colombia I would take up arms again," he said.
Reinforced Protection and Broad Condemnation
Colombia's defense chief reported that the national leader's security detail was strengthened.
A segment of Colombia’s conservative opposition have expressed support with Trump's stance, but voices from all sides of the ideological divide have denounced the possibility of a US attack on Colombia.
Political and Financial Pressure
The US revoked Petro’s visa after he called on US military personnel to refuse any illegal orders. Later, in October, the US enacted financial sanctions on Petro, his wife and various close collaborators.
Concurrently while America bolstered its troop levels near Venezuela and striking suspected drug boats to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets have also conducted attacks against vessels in Pacific waters off the Colombian coast.
