Donald Trump along with his Colombian counterpart have intensified the rhetoric of their exchange, further raising tensions in their relations after American military units struck Venezuela to remove the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He runs cocaine mills and processing labs and his time is running out," Trump remarked.
Escalating Threats and Allegations
Speaking to the press on Sunday, Trump hinted at similar use of force towards the South American nation, claiming the country is “very sick too” and governed by an unwell individual who likes making cocaine and distributing it to America."
While Colombia is the globe's biggest producer of cocaine, no proof exists linking President Gustavo Petro, who was elected in 2022, is directly involved in the trade.
A Deteriorating Relationship
Colombia was historically a close partner of Washington in the campaign combating drug cartels and benefited from cross-party backing in the US capital, yet ties have deteriorated significantly since Trump was elected.
Colombia’s narcotics trade is largely controlled by guerrilla factions such as one major cartel, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and dissident factions of the demobilized Farc, most of its former fighters disbanded subsequent to a 2016 peace deal.
Colombia's Defiant Answer
When asked if military intervention similar to Venezuela was on the cards against his country, Trump said: "That seems like a good idea to me personally."
The Colombian leader, a former leftist guerrilla who demobilised decades ago, firmly denied the accusations. "I am neither illegitimate nor am I a drug trafficker," he stated.
"The US president speaks without knowledge. Cease defaming me," he posted in a post.
"If they [the US] bomb rural communities, they will transform into a multitude of fighters in the mountains. If they capture the nation's leader, which many of the population holds in high esteem, they will unleash the powerful force of the populace," Petro warned.
From Guerrilla to Leader
The president dedicated part of his youth participating of the leftist M-19 insurgent movement though it is believed he did not took part in armed clashes. After demobilizing, he was involved in drafting a new constitution in the early 90s and eventually served as a prominent senator. He was mayor of Bogotá before winning president.
"I swore to never again hold a weapon again ... but in defense of my country I would take up arms again," he affirmed.
Heightened Measures and Broad Opposition
Colombia's defense chief reported that the national leader's personal security had been reinforced.
A segment of Colombia’s right wing opposition have expressed support with Trump's stance, but voices spanning the political spectrum have denounced the notion of a US attack targeting Colombia.
Bilateral and Financial Strains
The US withdrew his travel authorization after he called on US military personnel to refuse orders that violate law. Months later, the US enacted financial sanctions on Petro, his wife and a number of close collaborators.
Concurrently while America bolstered its military presence near Venezuela and striking alleged narcotics traffickers to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces also carried out attacks on boats in Pacific waters near Colombia.
