The US President and Colombia's president have turned up the rhetoric of their exchange, increasing tensions bilaterally after US forces targeted Venezuela with the aim of deposing President Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He has cocaine mills and production sites and his time is running out," Trump added.
Rising Rhetoric and Accusations
Speaking to reporters over the weekend, the US president threatened similar military action against Colombia, asserting the nation faces serious problems and “run by a problematic figure who likes making narcotics and selling it to the US."
Although Colombia remains the world’s largest source of the narcotic, no proof exists that President Gustavo Petro, who was elected in 2022, is personally tied to the business.
A Strained Alliance
This nation was historically a key ally of the US in the struggle against drug trafficking and benefited from wide political approval from American politicians, however, the relationship have soured significantly since Trump came to office.
The nation's illicit drug economy is largely controlled by guerrilla factions including the Clan del Golfo, the ELN guerrilla group and dissident factions of the former Farc guerrillas, a large contingent of whom disbanded after a 2016 peace deal.
Petro's Defiant Answer
When asked whether a military operation similar to Venezuela was on the cards regarding Colombia, Trump replied: "I like the sound of that to me."
The Colombian leader, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who demobilised in the 1990s, firmly denied Trump's claims. "I am no an illegitimate leader and I am not a narco," he affirmed.
"He comments without information. Stop slandering me," he wrote in a post.
"If US bombs target civilians, they will transform into a multitude of fighters in the mountains. And if they detain the president, which many of the country admires and supports, they will unleash the ‘jaguar’ of the people," Petro warned.
From Fighter to President
Petro spent some years as a young man as a member of the leftist M-19 insurgent movement although reports indicate he did not engaged in fighting. Upon leaving the group, he participated in writing the nation's constitution in 1991 subsequently becoming an influential politician. He served as mayor of the capital city before winning the presidency.
"I swore to abstain from using arms again ... but for the homeland I shall resume the fight," he affirmed.
Reinforced Protection along with Broad Rejection
The Colombian defence minister reported that the president’s personal security had received additional support.
Several members of Colombia’s right wing opposition have allied themselves with the US president, however, leaders from all sides of Colombian politics have condemned the notion of an invasion on Colombia.
Diplomatic and Economic Pressure
American authorities cancelled Petro’s visa following he urged American soldiers to ignore orders that violate law. In October, the US enacted asset freezes targeting Petro, his wife and various close collaborators.
Simultaneously as the US increased its troop levels near Venezuela and striking suspected drug boats against Venezuela’s Maduro, the US have also conducted attacks on boats in Pacific waters off the Colombian coast.
