President Trump and President Gustavo Petro have intensified the rhetoric in their verbal conflict, further raising strains bilaterally following US forces targeted Venezuela to remove Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He has cocaine mills and cocaine factories and his time is running out," the US president stated.
Growing Rhetoric and Claims
Addressing reporters over the weekend, Trump threatened comparable use of force towards the South American nation, claiming the nation is also "very ill" and governed by a problematic figure who likes making cocaine and distributing it to the US."
Although Colombia remains the world’s largest producer of cocaine, authorities have found no indication that President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is personally tied to the illicit industry.
A Frayed Relationship
Colombia for decades served as a close partner of the US in the struggle against drug trafficking and received cross-party backing in the US capital, yet ties have soured dramatically after Trump came to office.
Colombia’s narcotics trade is mainly overseen by guerrilla factions including the Clan del Golfo, the ELN guerrilla group and renegade units of the former Farc guerrillas, most of its former fighters demobilised following a historic peace agreement.
Petro's Strong Answer
Upon being questioned if a military operation similar to Venezuela was a possibility against his country, Trump responded: "It sounds good to me."
President Petro, an ex-guerrilla fighter who left armed struggle decades ago, firmly denied these allegations. "I am neither an illegitimate leader nor am I a drug trafficker," he declared.
"Trump speaks without information. End the false accusations," he wrote in a post.
"Should American forces attack rural communities, they will turn into thousands of guerrillas in the mountains. And should they arrest the nation's leader, which a large part of Colombians loves and respects, they will unleash the ‘jaguar’ of the nation," the president cautioned.
From Insurgent to President
He passed a period in his early life as a member of the leftist M-19 armed organization although reports indicate he did not participated in combat. After demobilizing, he was involved in writing the nation's constitution in 1991 and later became an influential politician. He served as mayor of the Colombian capital before winning the presidency.
"I made a vow to abstain from using a gun ... but for the homeland I would take up arms again," he affirmed.
Reinforced Protection and Broad Rejection
Colombia's defense chief reported that the national leader's security detail was strengthened.
A segment of Colombia’s political right have expressed support with the US president, but voices from all sides of the ideological divide have rejected the threats of American military action targeting Colombia.
Bilateral and Economic Pressure
American authorities revoked his travel authorization after he urged American soldiers to refuse orders that violate law. Months later, the US enacted financial sanctions targeting Petro, his wife and various key allies.
At the same time while America bolstered its forces in the Caribbean and striking alleged narcotics traffickers to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets executed strikes against vessels in Pacific waters adjacent to Colombia.
