President Trump along with President Gustavo Petro have turned up the volume of their war of words, increasing tensions bilaterally following American military units targeted Venezuela to remove the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He operates cocaine mills and production sites and his time is running out," Trump remarked.
Escalating Rhetoric coupled with Claims
Talking to reporters over the weekend, the US president hinted at analogous armed intervention towards the South American nation, stating the nation is “very sick too” and led by a problematic figure involved in producing the drug and distributing it to the United States."
While Colombia stands as the leading cocaine-producing country, no proof exists linking President Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is in any way connected to the business.
A Frayed Partnership
Colombia for decades served as a close partner of the US in the fight against narcotics trade and enjoyed bipartisan support from American politicians, but relations have deteriorated dramatically following Trump was elected.
Its drug trade is predominantly run by illegal armed groups such as the Golf Clan, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and renegade units of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), most of its former fighters demobilised following a landmark accord.
Petro's Defiant Response
When asked whether a military operation similar to Venezuela was a possibility regarding Colombia, Trump replied: "It sounds good from my perspective."
The Colombian leader, a former leftist guerrilla who demobilised decades ago, rejected these allegations. "I am not an illegitimate leader and certainly not involved in narcotics," he stated.
"Trump speaks without information. Cease defaming me," he posted in a post.
"Should American forces attack peasants, they will transform into thousands of guerrillas in the hills. And if they detain the president, which a large part of Colombians loves and respects, they will release the ‘jaguar’ of the people," he admonished.
From Insurgent to President
He passed some years as a young man belonging of the leftist M-19 insurgent movement but is not believed that he never took part in armed clashes. Upon leaving the group, he was involved in drafting the constitutional rewrite in the early 90s subsequently becoming a prominent senator. He held the office of mayor of the Colombian capital before being elected president.
"I swore to never again hold a gun ... but for the homeland I shall resume the fight," he said.
Increased Security and Broad Condemnation
Minister Pedro Sánchez announced that the national leader's personal security was strengthened.
Several members of Colombia’s right wing opposition have sided with Trump, yet figures from all sides of Colombian politics have condemned the threats of American military action on Colombia.
Political and Financial Sanctions
The US withdrew the president's entry visa subsequent to he called on American soldiers to ignore any illegal orders. Months later, it placed financial sanctions on Petro, the first lady and a number of associates.
At the same time as the US increased its forces in the Caribbean and bombing alleged narcotics traffickers to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces executed attacks on maritime targets in Pacific waters off the Colombian coast.
