Donald Trump along with Colombia's president have intensified the tone of their war of words, increasing strains bilaterally following US forces struck Venezuela with the aim of deposing the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He operates cocaine mills and cocaine factories and that won't last much longer," Trump added.
Escalating Threats and Accusations
Speaking to the press on Sunday, Trump suggested analogous military action against Bogotá, claiming the nation faces serious problems and “run by a problematic figure who enjoys creating the drug and distributing it to the US."
While Colombia is the world’s largest producer of cocaine, there is no evidence implicating Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is directly involved in the trade.
A Strained Partnership
This nation has long been a key ally of Washington in the fight combating drug cartels and enjoyed bipartisan support from American politicians, yet ties have soured dramatically since Trump was elected.
Colombia’s drug trade is largely controlled by guerrilla factions like the Golf Clan, another leftist insurgency and breakaway groups of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), a large contingent of whom laid down arms following a 2016 peace deal.
The President's Strong Rebuttal
In response to a query if armed intervention similar to Venezuela was a possibility against his country, Trump replied: "That seems like a good idea from my perspective."
Petro, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who demobilised in the 1990s, categorically refuted the accusations. "I am not an illegitimate leader nor am I a narco," he affirmed.
"Trump speaks without information. Stop slandering me," he posted in a message.
"If they [the US] bomb peasants, they will become thousands of guerrillas across the countryside. And should they arrest the president, whom a significant portion of the population holds in high esteem, they will provoke the powerful force of the nation," the president cautioned.
From Fighter to President
He passed some years as a young man as a member with the radical M-19 guerrilla group though it is believed he did not took part in armed clashes. Upon leaving the group, he participated in writing a new constitution over three decades ago and later became a prominent senator. He held the office of mayor of the capital city before being elected the presidency.
"I swore to abstain from using a weapon again ... but for the homeland I shall resume arms again," he affirmed.
Reinforced Protection along with Broad Condemnation
Colombia's defense chief stated that the president’s personal security was strengthened.
A segment of Colombia’s right wing opposition have sided with Trump's stance, yet figures spanning the ideological divide have condemned the possibility of American military action targeting Colombia.
Diplomatic and Economic Sanctions
The US cancelled his travel authorization following he urged American soldiers to ignore any illegal orders. Later, in October, it placed asset freezes on Petro, his wife and a number of associates.
Simultaneously as the US increased its military presence in the region and bombing vessels thought to carry drugs to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets also carried out operations on maritime targets in Pacific waters off the Colombian coast.
