Donald Trump and his Colombian counterpart have turned up the tone of their war of words, further raising tensions in their relations following US forces attacked Venezuela with the aim of deposing the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He runs drug factories and cocaine factories and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump remarked.
Escalating Rhetoric and Claims
Addressing reporters over the weekend, Trump threatened analogous armed intervention towards the South American nation, claiming the country faces serious problems and governed by an unwell individual who likes making the drug and distributing it to America."
Although Colombia remains the world’s largest producer of cocaine, authorities have found no indication linking President Gustavo Petro, who was elected in 2022, is personally tied to the trade.
A Strained Relationship
The country has long been a close partner of the US in the fight against drug trafficking and benefited from cross-party backing in the US capital, however, the relationship have soured markedly after Trump came to office.
Its illicit drug economy is mainly overseen by illegal armed groups like the Golf Clan, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and dissident factions of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), most of its former fighters disbanded following a landmark accord.
Colombia's Defiant Response
Upon being questioned if a military operation comparable to Venezuela was on the cards regarding Colombia, Trump replied: "It sounds good to me personally."
The Colombian leader, a former leftist guerrilla who disarmed decades ago, categorically refuted these allegations. "I am not an illegitimate leader and I am not a drug trafficker," he declared.
"Trump speaks without knowledge. Stop slandering me," he posted in a post.
"Should American forces attack rural communities, they will become thousands of guerrillas in the hills. If they capture me, whom many of the country holds in high esteem, they will provoke the powerful force of the populace," 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. After demobilizing, he was involved in drafting the nation's constitution in 1991 and eventually served as a prominent senator. He was mayor of the capital city before being elected president.
"I swore to abstain from using a gun ... but for the homeland I will take up the fight," he vowed.
Heightened Measures along with Widespread Opposition
Colombia's defense chief stated that Petro's personal security was strengthened.
Several members of Colombia’s right wing opposition have sided with Trump, yet figures from all sides of Colombian politics have condemned the possibility of a US attack on Colombia.
Diplomatic and Financial Strains
The US revoked Petro’s visa subsequent to he encouraged US troops to refuse unlawful commands. Later, in October, the US enacted financial sanctions on Petro, his spouse and various close collaborators.
At the same time as the US increased its troop levels in the region and bombing alleged narcotics traffickers to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, the US have also conducted operations on maritime targets in the eastern Pacific region adjacent to Colombia.
