President Trump along with Colombia's president have escalated the rhetoric of their war of words, heightening tensions bilaterally after US forces attacked Venezuela with the aim of deposing Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He has drug factories and cocaine factories and that won't last much longer," Trump remarked.
Growing Threats coupled with Claims
Speaking to the press on Sunday, the US president suggested similar use of force against Bogotá, claiming the nation faces serious problems and “run by an unwell individual who likes making cocaine and trafficking it to America."
Although Colombia remains the leading cocaine-producing country, no proof exists that President Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is personally involved in the business.
A Frayed Partnership
This nation for decades served as a close partner of Washington in the campaign against narcotics trade and benefited from wide political approval from American politicians, but relations have soured significantly after Trump assumed the presidency.
The nation's drug trade is predominantly run by guerrilla factions such as one major cartel, another leftist insurgency and dissident factions of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), most of its former fighters laid down arms after a landmark accord.
The President's Strong Answer
When asked whether military intervention similar to Venezuela was a possibility against his country, Trump said: "I like the sound of that to me personally."
President Petro, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who disarmed decades ago, firmly denied Trump's claims. "I am no an illegitimate leader and I am not involved in narcotics," he declared.
"He comments uninformed. End the false accusations," he expressed in a post.
"If they [the US] bomb rural communities, they will become numerous insurgents across the countryside. And if they detain the president, which many of Colombians admires and supports, they will unleash the ‘jaguar’ of the people," he admonished.
From Fighter to President
Petro spent some years as a young man participating with the radical M-19 guerrilla group although reports indicate to have ever engaged in fighting. Upon leaving the group, he participated in drafting the constitutional rewrite in 1991 and later became a prominent senator. He held the office of mayor of the Colombian capital prior to his election president.
"I made a vow not to touch a gun ... but for the homeland I shall resume arms again," he vowed.
Heightened Measures along with Broad Rejection
The Colombian defence minister reported that the president’s security detail had been reinforced.
A segment of Colombia’s political right have allied themselves with Trump, but voices from across the political spectrum have denounced the threats of an invasion targeting Colombia.
Diplomatic and Economic Pressure
Washington revoked his travel authorization after he encouraged US military personnel to disobey any illegal orders. Later, in October, the US enacted economic restrictions against the president, his wife and various close collaborators.
Simultaneously as the US increased its military presence in the Caribbean and striking vessels thought to carry drugs to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, the US also carried out strikes on maritime targets in Pacific waters off the Colombian coast.
