The US President and Colombia's president have turned up the rhetoric in their verbal conflict, increasing strains bilaterally after American military units attacked Venezuela in an operation to oust President Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He runs cocaine mills and processing labs and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump added.
Escalating Threats coupled with Allegations
Talking to reporters over the weekend, the American leader threatened comparable military action towards the South American nation, claiming the nation is also "very ill" and led by a problematic figure who enjoys creating narcotics and trafficking it to America."
While Colombia remains the globe's biggest cocaine-producing country, no proof exists that President Gustavo Petro, who was elected in 2022, is in any way tied to the illicit industry.
A Strained Relationship
The country was historically a staunch collaborator of Washington in the fight against narcotics trade and enjoyed wide political approval in Washington, yet ties have worsened dramatically after Trump assumed the presidency.
Colombia’s illicit drug economy is mainly overseen by guerrilla factions such as the Golf Clan, the ELN guerrilla group and dissident factions of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), a large contingent of whom demobilised following a historic peace agreement.
The President's Strong Answer
When asked whether armed intervention like that in Venezuela was on the cards against his country, Trump replied: "I like the sound of that to me personally."
Petro, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who disarmed in the 1990s, firmly denied these allegations. "I am no an illegitimate leader and certainly not a narco," he declared.
"He comments without information. Cease defaming me," he wrote in a post.
"Should American forces attack peasants, they will become a multitude of fighters across the countryside. And if they detain the nation's leader, whom a significant portion of the country holds in high esteem, they will provoke the powerful force of the nation," he admonished.
From Insurgent to Statesman
Petro spent part of his youth participating with the radical M-19 insurgent movement although reports indicate he did not participated in combat. Upon leaving the group, he participated in writing the constitutional rewrite in the early 90s and eventually served as a respected lawmaker. He was mayor of Bogotá before winning president.
"I swore to never again hold a gun ... but for the homeland I shall resume the fight," he vowed.
Reinforced Protection along with Widespread Condemnation
The Colombian defence minister stated that Petro's security detail had received additional support.
Several members of Colombia’s conservative opposition have expressed support with Trump, yet figures spanning Colombian politics have denounced the notion of American military action against their nation.
Diplomatic and Economic Strains
American authorities withdrew Petro’s visa following he urged US troops to refuse orders that violate law. Months later, the US enacted asset freezes on Petro, his wife and a number of close collaborators.
Concurrently the US was building up its forces near Venezuela and striking suspected drug boats against Venezuela’s Maduro, the US have also conducted attacks against vessels in Pacific waters off the Colombian coast.
