Donald Trump along with his Colombian counterpart have turned up the rhetoric in their verbal conflict, further raising strains bilaterally following US forces targeted Venezuela with the aim of deposing the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He operates cocaine mills and production sites and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump remarked.
Escalating Rhetoric coupled with Allegations
Addressing journalists on Sunday, the US president suggested analogous use of force against Bogotá, claiming Colombia faces serious problems and led by a problematic figure involved in producing cocaine and trafficking it to the United States."
While Colombia is the leading cocaine-producing country, there is no evidence that President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is in any way tied to the business.
A Deteriorating Relationship
The country was historically a staunch collaborator of the United States in the campaign against narcotics trade and benefited from wide political approval in the US capital, but relations have soured markedly following Trump came to office.
The nation's illicit drug economy is largely controlled by illegal armed groups such as the Golf Clan, the ELN guerrilla group and breakaway groups of the former Farc guerrillas, the majority of whose members demobilised after a historic peace agreement.
Petro's Firm Answer
When asked whether armed intervention similar to Venezuela was a possibility regarding Colombia, Trump responded: "I like the sound of that to me personally."
Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who demobilised decades ago, categorically refuted the accusations. "I am no an illegitimate leader nor am I a narco," he affirmed.
"Trump speaks uninformed. Stop slandering me," he posted in a message.
"If they [the US] bomb peasants, they will become thousands of guerrillas in the hills. And should they arrest the nation's leader, which a significant portion of Colombians admires and supports, they will provoke the powerful force of the people," Petro warned.
From Guerrilla to Statesman
Petro spent part of his youth as a member in the left-wing M-19 guerrilla group though it is believed he did not participated in combat. Upon leaving the group, he was involved in writing the nation's constitution over three decades ago and eventually served as a respected lawmaker. He held the office of mayor of the capital city prior to his election president.
"I swore to never again hold a weapon again ... but for Colombia I will take up arms again," he said.
Heightened Measures along with Cross-Political Opposition
The Colombian defence minister announced that Petro's protection team was strengthened.
Several members of Colombia’s conservative opposition have allied themselves with Trump's stance, yet figures spanning Colombian politics have condemned the notion of an invasion targeting Colombia.
Political and Financial Sanctions
American authorities revoked the president's entry visa subsequent to he encouraged American soldiers to disobey orders that violate law. In October, authorities imposed financial sanctions on Petro, the first lady and a number of key allies.
Simultaneously the US was building up its troop levels near Venezuela and striking vessels thought to carry drugs to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces executed strikes against vessels off the Pacific coast adjacent to Colombia.
