President Trump and his Colombian counterpart have intensified the volume in their verbal conflict, heightening tensions between the two countries following US forces targeted Venezuela to remove the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He operates drug factories and cocaine factories and that won't last much longer," Trump added.
Growing Rhetoric and Allegations
Talking to journalists on Sunday, the US president hinted at analogous armed intervention against Bogotá, claiming Colombia is “very sick too” and led by an unwell individual who enjoys creating the drug and trafficking it to the United States."
While Colombia is the world’s largest source of the narcotic, there is no evidence implicating Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is directly involved in the business.
A Strained Alliance
This nation has long been a key ally of Washington in the campaign against narcotics trade and benefited from bipartisan support in the US capital, but relations have soured markedly since Trump assumed the presidency.
Its narcotics trade is predominantly run by guerrilla factions like one major cartel, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and renegade units of the demobilized Farc, a large contingent of whom demobilised subsequent to a historic peace agreement.
Colombia's Firm Rebuttal
In response to a query whether armed intervention like that in Venezuela was being considered for Colombia, Trump responded: "That seems like a good idea to me personally."
Petro, an ex-guerrilla fighter who demobilised in the last century, firmly denied Trump's claims. "I am neither an illegitimate leader nor am I involved in narcotics," he declared.
"The US president speaks without information. Cease defaming me," he expressed in a post.
"Should American forces attack rural communities, they will turn into a multitude of fighters across the countryside. If they capture the president, whom a large part of the population admires and supports, they will provoke the powerful force of the populace," the president cautioned.
From Insurgent to President
Petro spent some years as a young man as a member of the leftist M-19 guerrilla group though it is believed to have ever participated in combat. Following his disarmament, he participated in drafting the nation's constitution in the early 90s subsequently becoming an influential politician. He was mayor of the Colombian capital prior to his election the nation's highest office.
"I made a vow not to touch arms again ... but in defense of my country I will take up weapons once more," he vowed.
Heightened Measures and Broad Opposition
Colombia's defense chief announced that the president’s protection team was strengthened.
A segment of Colombia’s conservative opposition have allied themselves with Trump, yet figures from across the ideological divide have denounced the notion of a US attack against their nation.
Diplomatic and Financial Sanctions
The US revoked his travel authorization subsequent to he urged American soldiers to disobey orders that violate law. Later, in October, it placed financial sanctions targeting Petro, his spouse and several close collaborators.
Simultaneously as the US increased its military presence near Venezuela and striking suspected drug boats to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, the US also carried out attacks on maritime targets off the Pacific coast adjacent to Colombia.
