Donald Trump along with Colombia's president have escalated the tone in their verbal conflict, further raising strains bilaterally following American military units struck Venezuela with the aim of deposing the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He runs narcotics facilities and processing labs and that won't last much longer," the US president stated.
Growing Rhetoric and Allegations
Speaking to journalists over the weekend, the American leader hinted at analogous armed intervention towards the South American nation, stating the nation faces serious problems and led by an unwell individual involved in producing the drug and selling it to the US."
While Colombia is the leading producer of cocaine, no proof exists implicating Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is directly connected to the illicit industry.
A Deteriorating Alliance
Colombia for decades served as a key ally of Washington in the fight against drug trafficking and benefited from bipartisan support from American politicians, however, the relationship have worsened markedly following Trump assumed the presidency.
The nation's narcotics trade is largely controlled by illegal armed groups such as the Clan del Golfo, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and renegade units of the demobilized Farc, a large contingent of whom laid down arms after a 2016 peace deal.
Colombia's Defiant Rebuttal
When asked whether military intervention comparable to Venezuela was being considered for Colombia, Trump responded: "That seems like a good idea to me personally."
Petro, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who demobilised in the 1990s, firmly denied Trump's claims. "I am not illegitimate nor am I a drug trafficker," he stated.
"Trump speaks without information. End the false accusations," he expressed in a post.
"If they [the US] bomb peasants, they will turn into numerous insurgents in the hills. And if they detain the president, whom many of Colombians holds in high esteem, they will provoke the ‘jaguar’ of the nation," he admonished.
From Insurgent to President
He passed some years as a young man as a member in the left-wing M-19 insurgent movement though it is believed that he never participated in combat. After demobilizing, he participated in writing the nation's constitution in 1991 and later became an influential politician. He was mayor of the Colombian capital prior to his election president.
"I pledged to abstain from using a gun ... but for the homeland I shall resume the fight," he said.
Heightened Measures along with Cross-Political Condemnation
Minister Pedro Sánchez reported that Petro's personal security had received additional support.
A segment of Colombia’s conservative opposition have sided with the US president, but voices from all sides of Colombian politics have rejected the notion of a US attack on Colombia.
Diplomatic and Financial Pressure
The US cancelled his travel authorization after he called on American soldiers to disobey unlawful commands. Later, in October, authorities imposed asset freezes targeting Petro, his spouse and a number of associates.
Simultaneously the US was building up its forces in the Caribbean and bombing alleged narcotics traffickers to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces executed attacks on boats off the Pacific coast off the Colombian coast.
