Donald Trump along with his Colombian counterpart have escalated the tone of their exchange, further raising strains between the two countries following American military units attacked Venezuela in an operation to oust the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He operates cocaine mills and production sites and his time is running out," the US president stated.
Growing Rhetoric and Allegations
Speaking to journalists on Sunday, Trump threatened analogous armed intervention against Bogotá, claiming Colombia faces serious problems and “run by a problematic figure who enjoys creating the drug and selling it to the US."
Although Colombia stands as the globe's biggest source of the narcotic, no proof exists linking President Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is in any way involved in the trade.
A Deteriorating Relationship
Colombia was historically a key ally of the United States in the fight against narcotics trade and enjoyed wide political approval from American politicians, however, the relationship have soured significantly after Trump came to office.
Its illicit drug economy is largely controlled by guerrilla factions such as the Clan del Golfo, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and renegade units of the demobilized Farc, most of its former fighters laid down arms following a historic peace agreement.
Petro's Strong Response
Upon being questioned whether military intervention similar to Venezuela was a possibility for Colombia, Trump said: "It sounds good to me."
The Colombian leader, a former leftist guerrilla who demobilised in the 1990s, categorically refuted these allegations. "I am not illegitimate and I am not involved in narcotics," he declared.
"Trump speaks uninformed. Stop slandering me," he wrote in a message.
"If they [the US] bomb rural communities, they will turn into numerous insurgents in the hills. And if they detain the president, which many of Colombians holds in high esteem, they will release the ‘jaguar’ of the populace," Petro warned.
From Insurgent to Leader
He passed part of his youth participating with the radical M-19 armed organization although reports indicate he did not took part in armed clashes. After demobilizing, he participated in writing the constitutional rewrite over three decades ago and later became a respected lawmaker. He held the office of mayor of Bogotá before being elected the presidency.
"I swore not to touch arms again ... but for the homeland I would take up the fight," he said.
Increased Security and Broad Opposition
Colombia's defense chief announced that the president’s personal security had been reinforced.
Many among Colombia’s conservative opposition have sided with Trump, but voices from all sides of the political spectrum have denounced the notion of an invasion against their nation.
Political and Economic Pressure
American authorities cancelled the president's entry visa after he called on US military personnel to disobey any illegal orders. Months later, authorities imposed economic restrictions against the president, his wife and various close collaborators.
Concurrently as the US increased its forces near Venezuela and bombing vessels thought to carry drugs against Venezuela’s Maduro, the US also carried out operations against vessels off the Pacific coast off the Colombian coast.
