The US President along with his Colombian counterpart have turned up the rhetoric in their verbal conflict, increasing tensions between the two countries after American military units struck Venezuela to remove President Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He runs narcotics facilities and cocaine factories and his time is running out," the US president stated.
Growing Rhetoric coupled with Claims
Addressing journalists over the weekend, Trump hinted at similar armed intervention towards the South American nation, asserting the country is also "very ill" and “run by a sick man who likes making narcotics and distributing it to the United States."
Although Colombia is the leading source of the narcotic, there is no evidence that President Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is in any way tied to the illicit industry.
A Deteriorating Partnership
The country has long been a close partner of the US in the campaign against narcotics trade and enjoyed cross-party backing in Washington, yet ties have deteriorated significantly since Trump was elected.
Its narcotics trade is predominantly run by illegal armed groups including the Golf Clan, the ELN guerrilla group and breakaway groups of the demobilized Farc, most of its former fighters laid down arms following a landmark accord.
The President's Firm Response
In response to a query whether a military operation comparable to Venezuela was a possibility regarding Colombia, Trump responded: "It sounds good to me."
Petro, an ex-guerrilla fighter who demobilised in the last century, categorically refuted Trump's claims. "I am not an illegitimate leader and certainly not involved in narcotics," he declared.
"Trump speaks uninformed. Stop slandering me," he expressed online.
"If they [the US] bomb peasants, they will turn into numerous insurgents in the mountains. If they capture the nation's leader, whom a large part of the country holds in high esteem, they will unleash the powerful force of the people," he admonished.
From Insurgent to President
Petro spent a period in his early life participating in the left-wing M-19 guerrilla group though it is believed that he never took part in armed clashes. Following his disarmament, he participated in writing the constitutional rewrite over three decades ago and later became an influential politician. He held the office of mayor of the Colombian capital before being elected president.
"I pledged to abstain from using a gun ... but for Colombia I would take up the fight," he said.
Heightened Measures and Broad Rejection
Minister Pedro Sánchez stated that the national leader's security detail had received additional support.
Many among Colombia’s conservative opposition have sided with Trump's stance, however, leaders from all sides of Colombian politics have rejected the possibility of a US attack targeting Colombia.
Bilateral and Financial Sanctions
The US revoked Petro’s visa after he urged US military personnel to refuse unlawful commands. Months later, it placed economic restrictions targeting Petro, his spouse and several key allies.
Simultaneously the US was building up its troop levels in the region and striking suspected drug boats to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets have also conducted operations on boats off the Pacific coast off the Colombian coast.
