The US President and Colombia's president have turned up the tone of their exchange, increasing strains between the two countries after American military units targeted Venezuela in an operation to oust Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He runs drug factories and production sites and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump remarked.
Escalating Threats and Claims
Talking to the press on Sunday, Trump suggested analogous military action against Colombia, claiming Colombia is also "very ill" and “run by an unwell individual involved in producing cocaine and trafficking it to America."
Although Colombia is the leading producer of cocaine, no proof exists implicating Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is directly tied to the illicit industry.
A Deteriorating Relationship
Colombia has long been a key ally of Washington in the fight combating drug cartels and enjoyed bipartisan support in the US capital, however, the relationship have soured significantly since Trump assumed the presidency.
Colombia’s drug trade is largely controlled by illegal armed groups such as one major cartel, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and breakaway groups of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), most of its former fighters disbanded following a landmark accord.
The President's Firm Response
When asked whether armed intervention comparable to Venezuela was being considered against his country, Trump replied: "I like the sound of that to me personally."
Petro, an ex-guerrilla fighter who disarmed in the 1990s, categorically refuted the accusations. "I am not an illegitimate leader nor am I a drug trafficker," he stated.
"The US president speaks without knowledge. End the false accusations," he wrote online.
"If US bombs target rural communities, they will transform into thousands of guerrillas in the hills. If they capture the nation's leader, which a significant portion of the population admires and supports, they will release the ‘jaguar’ of the people," Petro warned.
From Guerrilla to Leader
The president dedicated a period in his early life belonging of the leftist M-19 insurgent movement but is not believed to have ever took part in armed clashes. Upon leaving the group, he was involved in creating the constitutional rewrite in the early 90s and eventually served as a respected lawmaker. He served as mayor of Bogotá before winning the presidency.
"I made a vow not to touch a weapon again ... but for the homeland I would take up the fight," he affirmed.
Reinforced Protection and Cross-Political Opposition
The Colombian defence minister stated that the national leader's security detail had been reinforced.
Many among Colombia’s right wing opposition have expressed support with Trump, yet figures spanning the ideological divide have rejected the possibility of a US attack targeting Colombia.
Political and Economic Pressure
The US revoked Petro’s visa subsequent to he called on US military personnel to ignore orders that violate law. Months later, authorities imposed asset freezes targeting Petro, his wife and several close collaborators.
Simultaneously the US was building up its military presence in the region and striking vessels thought to carry drugs against Venezuela’s Maduro, the US have also conducted attacks on maritime targets off the Pacific coast off the Colombian coast.
