Donald Trump and his Colombian counterpart have turned up the volume of their war of words, further raising strains bilaterally after US forces targeted Venezuela to remove President Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He has cocaine mills and production sites and that won't last much longer," the US president stated.
Growing Rhetoric coupled with Allegations
Talking to reporters on Sunday, the American leader hinted at similar use of force against Bogotá, asserting the nation is also "very ill" and led by a problematic figure involved in producing cocaine and selling it to the United States."
While Colombia stands as the globe's biggest source of the narcotic, there is no evidence implicating Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is in any way involved in the trade.
A Strained Relationship
This nation has long been a close partner of the US in the struggle against drug trafficking and received cross-party backing from American politicians, however, the relationship have worsened markedly following Trump assumed the presidency.
The nation's narcotics trade is mainly overseen by illegal armed groups including one major cartel, another leftist insurgency and breakaway groups of the demobilized Farc, a large contingent of whom disbanded after a landmark accord.
Colombia's Strong Rebuttal
When asked if a military operation comparable to Venezuela was being considered against his country, Trump responded: "It sounds good to me personally."
President Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who left armed struggle in the last century, rejected Trump's claims. "I am not illegitimate and I am not a drug trafficker," he affirmed.
"The US president speaks without information. Cease defaming me," he posted online.
"If US bombs target peasants, they will turn into thousands of guerrillas across the countryside. And should they arrest me, whom a large part of Colombians holds in high esteem, they will provoke the ‘jaguar’ of the populace," he admonished.
From Fighter to Leader
The president dedicated part of his youth participating in the left-wing M-19 guerrilla group though it is believed he did not engaged in fighting. After demobilizing, he took part in drafting the constitutional rewrite over three decades ago and later became a respected lawmaker. He served as mayor of the Colombian capital before being elected the nation's highest office.
"I made a vow to never again hold a weapon again ... but for Colombia I shall resume arms again," he vowed.
Heightened Measures and Broad Rejection
Colombia's defense chief stated that Petro's protection team was strengthened.
Several members of Colombia’s right wing opposition have allied themselves with Trump's stance, but voices spanning Colombian politics have condemned the threats of a US attack against their nation.
Political and Financial Sanctions
Washington revoked his travel authorization following he called on US military personnel to refuse unlawful commands. Later, in October, authorities imposed financial sanctions on Petro, his wife and various close collaborators.
Concurrently the US was building up its troop levels in the region and bombing alleged narcotics traffickers to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets also carried out operations against vessels in Pacific waters near Colombia.
