President Trump along with Colombia's president have turned up the rhetoric of their exchange, further raising tensions between the two countries after American military units attacked Venezuela in an operation to oust the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He runs cocaine mills and cocaine factories and his time is running out," Trump remarked.
Growing Rhetoric coupled with Claims
Addressing journalists over the weekend, Trump suggested analogous use of force against Bogotá, claiming Colombia is also "very ill" and governed by a problematic figure who enjoys creating narcotics and distributing it to the United States."
Although Colombia stands as the world’s largest source of the narcotic, authorities have found no indication that President Gustavo Petro, who was elected in 2022, is in any way tied to the trade.
A Frayed Alliance
Colombia was historically a key ally of the US in the campaign against drug trafficking and enjoyed cross-party backing from American politicians, but relations have worsened dramatically since Trump assumed the presidency.
The nation's illicit drug economy is largely controlled by guerrilla factions like the Golf Clan, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and dissident factions of the demobilized Farc, the majority of whose members laid down arms subsequent to a landmark accord.
The President's Defiant Answer
Upon being questioned whether military intervention similar to Venezuela was being considered regarding Colombia, Trump replied: "It sounds good to me."
The Colombian leader, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who left armed struggle in the last century, firmly denied these allegations. "I am not an illegitimate leader and I am not involved in narcotics," he declared.
"The US president speaks uninformed. Cease defaming me," he expressed in a post.
"Should American forces attack civilians, they will become thousands of guerrillas in the mountains. And should they arrest the president, whom a significant portion of the population loves and respects, they will release the ‘jaguar’ of the people," Petro warned.
From Fighter to President
Petro spent a period in his early life participating of the leftist M-19 armed organization though it is believed that he never engaged in fighting. Upon leaving the group, he participated in writing the constitutional rewrite in 1991 subsequently becoming an influential politician. He served as mayor of the Colombian capital before winning the presidency.
"I swore not to touch a weapon again ... but in defense of my country I shall resume the fight," he vowed.
Heightened Measures and Widespread Opposition
The Colombian defence minister stated that the national leader's security detail had received additional support.
A segment of Colombia’s political right have expressed support with the US president, yet figures from across the political spectrum have rejected the threats of American military action on Colombia.
Diplomatic and Economic Sanctions
The US withdrew the president's entry visa after he encouraged US military personnel to refuse any illegal orders. Later, in October, it placed economic restrictions targeting Petro, the first lady and several close collaborators.
Concurrently the US was building up its forces near Venezuela and bombing vessels thought to carry drugs against Venezuela’s Maduro, the US also carried out strikes against vessels in the eastern Pacific region adjacent to Colombia.
