President Trump and his Colombian counterpart have turned up the volume in their verbal conflict, further raising tensions bilaterally following American military units targeted Venezuela in an operation to oust Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He has drug factories and processing labs and is not going to be doing it very long," the US president stated.
Growing Tensions coupled with Allegations
Addressing the press over the weekend, the American leader hinted at analogous use of force against Bogotá, claiming the country is also "very ill" and governed by a problematic figure who likes making narcotics and trafficking it to the United States."
While Colombia stands as the leading source of the narcotic, there is no evidence linking President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is in any way tied to the business.
A Strained Relationship
The country has long been a close partner of the United States in the campaign against drug trafficking and received bipartisan support from American politicians, but relations have worsened markedly since Trump was elected.
Its illicit drug economy is mainly overseen by guerrilla factions such as the Clan del Golfo, another leftist insurgency and dissident factions of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), most of its former fighters laid down arms following a landmark accord.
Colombia's Defiant Rebuttal
In response to a query if a military operation comparable to Venezuela was a possibility regarding Colombia, Trump replied: "I like the sound of that to me personally."
President Petro, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who disarmed decades ago, categorically refuted the accusations. "I am not illegitimate and I am not a narco," he affirmed.
"The US president speaks without information. Stop slandering me," he posted in a message.
"Should American forces attack peasants, they will transform into numerous insurgents in the mountains. And if they detain the nation's leader, which a large part of the country holds in high esteem, they will unleash the ‘jaguar’ of the nation," Petro warned.
From Insurgent to President
Petro spent a period in his early life participating in the left-wing M-19 armed organization although reports indicate to have ever participated in combat. Upon leaving the group, he was involved in creating a new constitution in the early 90s subsequently becoming a prominent senator. He was mayor of Bogotá before winning the presidency.
"I made a vow to never again hold a weapon again ... but for Colombia I will take up the fight," he vowed.
Heightened Measures along with Cross-Political Rejection
Minister Pedro Sánchez stated that Petro's personal security was strengthened.
Many among Colombia’s political right have sided with Trump's stance, yet figures spanning Colombian politics have rejected the notion of an invasion on Colombia.
Bilateral and Financial Pressure
The US withdrew his travel authorization after he encouraged American soldiers to ignore any illegal orders. Months later, authorities imposed financial sanctions targeting Petro, his wife and several close collaborators.
At the same time as the US increased its forces in the Caribbean and striking vessels thought to carry drugs to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces executed operations against vessels off the Pacific coast off the Colombian coast.
