The US President along with President Gustavo Petro have escalated the tone of their exchange, increasing tensions in their relations after US forces targeted Venezuela in an operation to oust the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He has cocaine mills and production sites and that won't last much longer," Trump remarked.
Growing Tensions coupled with Accusations
Addressing reporters on Sunday, the American leader threatened analogous armed intervention against Colombia, asserting the country is “very sick too” and “run by a sick man who likes making narcotics and trafficking it to the US."
While Colombia is the world’s largest producer of cocaine, authorities have found no indication that President Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is directly involved in the illicit industry.
A Frayed Relationship
This nation has long been a key ally of Washington in the campaign against narcotics trade and benefited from wide political approval from American politicians, however, the relationship have worsened significantly since Trump was elected.
Its drug trade is largely controlled by criminal organizations including one major cartel, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and dissident factions of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), a large contingent of whom laid down arms after a historic peace agreement.
Petro's Strong Rebuttal
Upon being questioned if military intervention like that in Venezuela was being considered for Colombia, Trump said: "That seems like a good idea to me."
The Colombian leader, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who left armed struggle in the last century, categorically refuted these allegations. "I am no an illegitimate leader nor am I a narco," he stated.
"The US president speaks uninformed. End the false accusations," he expressed in a post.
"Should American forces attack civilians, they will turn into numerous insurgents across the countryside. And if they detain me, whom many of the population holds in high esteem, they will unleash the powerful force of the people," he admonished.
From Guerrilla to Statesman
He passed part of his youth as a member of the leftist M-19 armed organization but is not believed to have ever took part in armed clashes. Upon leaving the group, he took part in creating the constitutional rewrite in 1991 and later became an influential politician. He was mayor of the capital city before being elected the presidency.
"I swore to abstain from using a weapon again ... but for the homeland I will take up weapons once more," he affirmed.
Increased Security along with Cross-Political Opposition
Colombia's defense chief stated that the national leader's protection team was strengthened.
Many among Colombia’s political right have expressed support with Trump, but voices spanning the political spectrum have condemned the notion of American military action against their nation.
Diplomatic and Financial Strains
The US cancelled Petro’s visa after he urged American soldiers to disobey any illegal orders. In October, the US enacted economic restrictions on Petro, his spouse and several associates.
Simultaneously the US was building up its military presence near Venezuela and targeting vessels thought to carry drugs against Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces also carried out operations against vessels off the Pacific coast off the Colombian coast.
