President Trump along with President Gustavo Petro have turned up the volume of their war of words, further raising strains bilaterally after American military units attacked Venezuela with the aim of deposing President Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He has drug factories and cocaine factories and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump remarked.
Escalating Threats and Claims
Talking to journalists on Sunday, Trump threatened similar military action against Colombia, stating the country is also "very ill" and “run by an unwell individual who likes making narcotics and trafficking it to America."
While Colombia remains the leading cocaine-producing country, authorities have found no indication linking President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is personally connected to the business.
A Frayed Alliance
Colombia has long been a close partner of the US in the struggle combating drug cartels and enjoyed cross-party backing in Washington, yet ties have deteriorated markedly after Trump assumed the presidency.
Its drug trade is predominantly run by guerrilla factions including the Clan del Golfo, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and renegade units of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), a large contingent of whom laid down arms subsequent to a historic peace agreement.
Colombia's Strong Response
Upon being questioned whether military intervention comparable to Venezuela was on the cards against his country, Trump responded: "I like the sound of that from my perspective."
Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who disarmed decades ago, rejected Trump's claims. "I am no illegitimate and certainly not a drug trafficker," he affirmed.
"He comments uninformed. Stop slandering me," he wrote online.
"Should American forces attack civilians, they will turn into thousands of guerrillas in the mountains. And should they arrest the nation's leader, which many of the country holds in high esteem, they will unleash the ‘jaguar’ of the nation," Petro warned.
From Insurgent to Leader
He passed some years as a young man as a member in the left-wing M-19 insurgent movement though it is believed he did not took part in armed clashes. After demobilizing, he participated in creating a new constitution in 1991 and eventually served as a prominent senator. He held the office of mayor of the Colombian capital before being elected president.
"I made a vow to never again hold arms again ... but in defense of my country I will take up arms again," he affirmed.
Heightened Measures and Widespread Rejection
The Colombian defence minister announced that Petro's security detail had been reinforced.
Several members of Colombia’s right wing opposition have allied themselves with Trump, but voices from across the political spectrum have denounced the possibility of a US attack against their nation.
Diplomatic and Financial Pressure
American authorities revoked his travel authorization following he called on American soldiers to disobey any illegal orders. Later, in October, the US enacted financial sanctions on Petro, his wife and various associates.
At the same time as the US increased its military presence near Venezuela and bombing vessels thought to carry drugs to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets also carried out operations against vessels off the Pacific coast near Colombia.
