President Trump and Colombia's president have turned up the rhetoric of their war of words, further raising tensions in their relations after American military units struck Venezuela to remove the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He has cocaine mills and cocaine factories and that won't last much longer," Trump remarked.
Growing Tensions coupled with Accusations
Speaking to the press on Sunday, the American leader hinted at analogous armed intervention against Colombia, stating the country is also "very ill" and “run by a sick man involved in producing cocaine and trafficking it to the United States."
Although Colombia stands as the globe's biggest cocaine-producing country, authorities have found no indication that President Gustavo Petro, who was elected in 2022, is personally tied to the trade.
A Frayed Alliance
The country has long been a staunch collaborator of Washington in the campaign against narcotics trade and benefited from cross-party backing in the US capital, but relations have soured significantly following Trump was elected.
Colombia’s drug trade is predominantly run by guerrilla factions including the Golf Clan, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and renegade units of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), the majority of whose members laid down arms following a landmark accord.
The President's Defiant Answer
In response to a query whether military intervention like that in Venezuela was on the cards regarding Colombia, Trump responded: "It sounds good to me."
Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who disarmed in the last century, categorically refuted these allegations. "I am neither an illegitimate leader nor am I a drug trafficker," he affirmed.
"The US president speaks without knowledge. Stop slandering me," he expressed in a post.
"Should American forces attack civilians, they will transform into thousands of guerrillas in the mountains. And should they arrest the president, which a large part of the population holds in high esteem, they will unleash the powerful force of the nation," he admonished.
From Fighter to President
He passed a period in his early life belonging in the left-wing M-19 insurgent movement although reports indicate that he never engaged in fighting. After demobilizing, he was involved in writing the nation's constitution over three decades ago and later became an influential politician. He held the office of mayor of the Colombian capital prior to his election the nation's highest office.
"I pledged to never again hold a weapon again ... but for Colombia I shall resume the fight," he vowed.
Heightened Measures and Cross-Political Opposition
Minister Pedro Sánchez announced that the president’s security detail had been reinforced.
Many among Colombia’s right wing opposition have allied themselves with the US president, however, leaders spanning the ideological divide have denounced the threats of American military action on Colombia.
Diplomatic and Economic Sanctions
Washington cancelled Petro’s visa subsequent to he encouraged US military personnel to disobey any illegal orders. Later, in October, it placed economic restrictions targeting Petro, his spouse and a number of associates.
At the same time the US was building up its military presence in the Caribbean and targeting vessels thought to carry drugs against Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets also carried out strikes against vessels in Pacific waters adjacent to Colombia.
