President Trump and Colombia's president have turned up the volume of their exchange, increasing strains bilaterally following American military units attacked Venezuela with the aim of deposing President Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He has narcotics facilities and cocaine factories and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump remarked.
Rising Rhetoric and Claims
Speaking to journalists on Sunday, the US president suggested comparable use of force towards the South American nation, asserting the nation is also "very ill" and “run by an unwell individual involved in producing narcotics and selling it to the US."
Although Colombia stands as the world’s largest producer of cocaine, no proof exists that President Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is personally tied to the trade.
A Strained Relationship
Colombia for decades served as a key ally of the US in the campaign against drug trafficking and received cross-party backing in the US capital, yet ties have worsened dramatically following Trump was elected.
The nation's illicit drug economy is largely controlled by guerrilla factions such as one major cartel, another leftist insurgency and renegade units of the former Farc guerrillas, a large contingent of whom laid down arms after a 2016 peace deal.
The President's Defiant Answer
When asked if armed intervention like that in Venezuela was a possibility regarding Colombia, Trump replied: "It sounds good to me personally."
Petro, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who left armed struggle in the 1990s, rejected Trump's claims. "I am not an illegitimate leader and I am not involved in narcotics," he stated.
"Trump speaks uninformed. End the false accusations," he posted in a message.
"If they [the US] bomb rural communities, they will turn into numerous insurgents across the countryside. And if they detain the nation's leader, which a significant portion of the population admires and supports, they will release the fierce spirit of the populace," he admonished.
From Guerrilla to Statesman
The president dedicated some years as a young man as a member in the left-wing M-19 guerrilla group but is not believed he did not engaged in fighting. Following his disarmament, he was involved in writing the nation's constitution in 1991 and later became an influential politician. He held the office of mayor of Bogotá before being elected president.
"I swore not to touch a gun ... but for Colombia I shall resume weapons once more," he affirmed.
Reinforced Protection along with Widespread Opposition
Minister Pedro Sánchez reported that Petro's protection team had been reinforced.
A segment of Colombia’s conservative opposition have allied themselves with Trump, yet figures from across the political spectrum have denounced the possibility of American military action against their nation.
Political and Economic Sanctions
The US cancelled the president's entry visa subsequent to he urged US troops to disobey orders that violate law. Later, in October, it placed financial sanctions on Petro, his wife and various key allies.
Simultaneously while America bolstered its troop levels in the Caribbean and bombing alleged narcotics traffickers to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, the US have also conducted operations against vessels off the Pacific coast near Colombia.
