The US President along with his Colombian counterpart have intensified the volume of their exchange, further raising tensions bilaterally following US forces attacked Venezuela to remove President Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He has cocaine mills and production sites and is not going to be doing it very long," the US president stated.
Escalating Rhetoric and Accusations
Speaking to journalists over the weekend, the American leader suggested similar military action against Bogotá, asserting the country faces serious problems and governed by a problematic figure involved in producing the drug and distributing it to the US."
Although Colombia is the leading producer of cocaine, no proof exists that President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is in any way involved in the illicit industry.
A Deteriorating Partnership
This nation was historically a key ally of the US in the struggle combating drug cartels and enjoyed bipartisan support in Washington, yet ties have worsened markedly since Trump came to office.
Colombia’s drug trade is predominantly run by criminal organizations including one major cartel, the ELN guerrilla group and renegade units of the demobilized Farc, the majority of whose members demobilised after a historic peace agreement.
Petro's Firm Response
In response to a query whether military intervention comparable to Venezuela was being considered against his country, Trump said: "I like the sound of that to me personally."
Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who demobilised in the last century, rejected Trump's claims. "I am neither illegitimate and certainly not involved in narcotics," he affirmed.
"Trump speaks uninformed. End the false accusations," he posted in a message.
"Should American forces attack peasants, they will turn into thousands of guerrillas in the hills. If they capture the nation's leader, which a large part of the population holds in high esteem, they will release the fierce spirit of the nation," the president cautioned.
From Fighter to President
He passed part of his youth belonging of the leftist M-19 insurgent movement but is not believed to have ever took part in armed clashes. After demobilizing, he took part in writing the constitutional rewrite over three decades ago and eventually served as a prominent senator. He was mayor of the Colombian capital before being elected president.
"I pledged to abstain from using a gun ... but for Colombia I would take up weapons once more," he vowed.
Heightened Measures and Broad Condemnation
Minister Pedro Sánchez reported that the national leader's protection team had been reinforced.
A segment of Colombia’s political right have expressed support with the US president, but voices spanning the political spectrum have condemned the notion of American military action targeting Colombia.
Diplomatic and Financial Sanctions
Washington cancelled the president's entry visa after he encouraged US troops to disobey unlawful commands. Months later, it placed financial sanctions against the president, the first lady and various associates.
Concurrently while America bolstered its military presence in the region and targeting suspected drug boats to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets also carried out operations against vessels in the eastern Pacific region adjacent to Colombia.
