President Trump along with his Colombian counterpart have intensified the tone of their war of words, increasing strains in their relations following American military units attacked Venezuela in an operation to oust Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He has cocaine mills and cocaine factories and his time is running out," Trump remarked.
Rising Rhetoric and Claims
Talking to journalists over the weekend, the American leader hinted at similar armed intervention against Bogotá, asserting Colombia faces serious problems and led by an unwell individual who likes making narcotics and distributing it to the United States."
While Colombia stands as the globe's biggest cocaine-producing country, authorities have found no indication implicating Gustavo Petro, who was elected in 2022, is directly involved in the business.
A Frayed Partnership
The country has long been a close partner of the US in the campaign against drug trafficking and benefited from bipartisan support in Washington, but relations have worsened markedly after Trump assumed the presidency.
Colombia’s drug trade is largely controlled by criminal organizations such as the Golf Clan, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and dissident factions of the former Farc guerrillas, the majority of whose members demobilised following a historic peace agreement.
Petro's Strong Response
When asked if a military operation similar to Venezuela was on the cards regarding Colombia, Trump replied: "I like the sound of that to me."
Petro, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who left armed struggle in the last century, firmly denied these allegations. "I am no illegitimate nor am I a narco," he affirmed.
"He comments without knowledge. Stop slandering me," he wrote in a post.
"If they [the US] bomb civilians, they will transform into numerous insurgents across the countryside. And if they detain the president, which many of Colombians loves and respects, they will release the fierce spirit of the nation," the president cautioned.
From Fighter to Statesman
The president dedicated part of his youth belonging of the leftist M-19 armed organization but is not believed he did not took part in armed clashes. Following his disarmament, he participated in writing the constitutional rewrite in 1991 and eventually served as a respected lawmaker. He was mayor of the Colombian capital prior to his election president.
"I made a vow to abstain from using arms again ... but for Colombia I shall resume the fight," he said.
Increased Security along with Broad Condemnation
Colombia's defense chief reported that Petro's security detail had been reinforced.
A segment of Colombia’s right wing opposition have sided with Trump, but voices spanning the ideological divide have rejected the possibility of a US attack targeting Colombia.
Bilateral and Financial Sanctions
Washington withdrew Petro’s visa after he called on American soldiers to disobey orders that violate law. In October, the US enacted economic restrictions on Petro, his wife and a number of associates.
Simultaneously the US was building up its forces in the Caribbean and bombing vessels thought to carry drugs against Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces also carried out strikes on maritime targets in Pacific waters off the Colombian coast.
