The US President and President Gustavo Petro have intensified the tone in their verbal conflict, increasing tensions between the two countries after American military units targeted Venezuela to remove Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He operates narcotics facilities and cocaine factories and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump remarked.
Escalating Rhetoric coupled with Claims
Addressing the press over the weekend, the American leader suggested similar armed intervention towards the South American nation, claiming the nation faces serious problems and governed by a problematic figure who enjoys creating narcotics and trafficking it to the US."
While Colombia remains the globe's biggest cocaine-producing country, there is no evidence implicating Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is in any way involved in the business.
A Strained Relationship
This nation was historically a close partner of the US in the struggle against drug trafficking and received wide political approval in the US capital, yet ties have deteriorated significantly since Trump came to office.
Its narcotics trade is mainly overseen by criminal organizations such as the Clan del Golfo, another leftist insurgency and renegade units of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), most of its former fighters disbanded subsequent to a 2016 peace deal.
The President's Strong Response
Upon being questioned if a military operation like that in Venezuela was on the cards for Colombia, Trump responded: "I like the sound of that from my perspective."
Petro, an ex-guerrilla fighter who demobilised in the 1990s, categorically refuted these allegations. "I am neither an illegitimate leader nor am I a narco," he declared.
"Trump speaks without knowledge. End the false accusations," he expressed in a message.
"If US bombs target rural communities, they will transform into numerous insurgents in the hills. And should they arrest me, whom a large part of the country admires and supports, they will unleash the ‘jaguar’ of the populace," Petro warned.
From Guerrilla to Statesman
Petro spent a period in his early life participating of the leftist M-19 insurgent movement but is not believed he did not participated in combat. Upon leaving the group, he took part in writing a new constitution in 1991 and eventually served as a prominent senator. He served as mayor of Bogotá before being elected president.
"I pledged not to touch a gun ... but for the homeland I shall resume arms again," he vowed.
Heightened Measures and Broad Condemnation
Colombia's defense chief stated that Petro's security detail was strengthened.
A segment of Colombia’s political right have expressed support with Trump, however, leaders from across the ideological divide have denounced the threats of an invasion against their nation.
Bilateral and Economic Strains
The US withdrew his travel authorization following he encouraged US military personnel to refuse unlawful commands. Months later, the US enacted asset freezes on Petro, his spouse and a number of associates.
At the same time while America bolstered its troop levels in the Caribbean and bombing suspected drug boats against Venezuela’s Maduro, the US executed attacks on maritime targets off the Pacific coast adjacent to Colombia.
