The US President and Colombia's president have escalated the tone of their war of words, increasing tensions in their relations following American military units targeted Venezuela to remove Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He runs narcotics facilities and production sites and that won't last much longer," the US president stated.
Escalating Threats coupled with Claims
Addressing reporters on Sunday, the American leader hinted at analogous use of force towards the South American nation, stating the nation faces serious problems and “run by an unwell individual who enjoys creating cocaine and trafficking it to America."
Although Colombia remains the world’s largest producer of cocaine, authorities have found no indication implicating Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is directly connected to the trade.
A Deteriorating Partnership
The country for decades served as a close partner of Washington in the fight against drug trafficking and enjoyed wide political approval in Washington, however, the relationship have deteriorated dramatically since Trump was elected.
Colombia’s narcotics trade is mainly overseen by guerrilla factions such as the Clan del Golfo, another leftist insurgency and dissident factions of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), the majority of whose members disbanded subsequent to a landmark accord.
Petro's Defiant Answer
When asked if military intervention like that in Venezuela was on the cards against his country, Trump replied: "It sounds good to me."
The Colombian leader, an ex-guerrilla fighter who demobilised in the last century, categorically refuted these allegations. "I am neither an illegitimate leader and I am not involved in narcotics," he stated.
"He comments without information. Cease defaming me," he wrote in a message.
"If US bombs target peasants, they will transform into thousands of guerrillas in the mountains. And if they detain the president, which a large part of the country admires and supports, they will provoke the ‘jaguar’ of the nation," the president cautioned.
From Fighter to Statesman
He passed a period in his early life as a member of the leftist M-19 insurgent movement though it is believed to have ever engaged in fighting. After demobilizing, he participated in drafting the constitutional rewrite over three decades ago and later became an influential politician. He was mayor of Bogotá prior to his election president.
"I swore to abstain from using a weapon again ... but in defense of my country I shall resume the fight," he said.
Reinforced Protection and Widespread Condemnation
Minister Pedro Sánchez stated that the president’s protection team had been reinforced.
Several members of Colombia’s political right have sided with the US president, however, leaders from across the political spectrum have condemned the notion of a US attack on Colombia.
Political and Financial Sanctions
Washington withdrew the president's entry visa subsequent to he called on American soldiers to ignore any illegal orders. In October, authorities imposed economic restrictions on Petro, his wife and various key allies.
At the same time as the US increased its troop levels in the region and striking vessels thought to carry drugs to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets also carried out operations on maritime targets in the eastern Pacific region adjacent to Colombia.
