President Trump and Colombia's president have intensified the volume of their exchange, increasing strains bilaterally after American military units attacked Venezuela to remove President Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He runs cocaine mills and production sites and that won't last much longer," Trump remarked.
Rising Rhetoric coupled with Accusations
Addressing the press on Sunday, the US president threatened similar military action against Colombia, stating the country is also "very ill" and “run by an unwell individual involved in producing narcotics and distributing it to America."
While Colombia remains the globe's biggest producer of cocaine, no proof exists linking President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is in any way connected to the trade.
A Deteriorating Relationship
The country for decades served as a staunch collaborator of Washington in the fight against drug trafficking and benefited from bipartisan support in the US capital, but relations have worsened markedly following Trump came to office.
Colombia’s drug trade is largely controlled by illegal armed groups including the Golf Clan, another leftist insurgency and renegade units of the former Farc guerrillas, the majority of whose members demobilised after a landmark accord.
Colombia's Strong Response
When asked whether military intervention like that in Venezuela was a possibility regarding Colombia, Trump replied: "It sounds good from my perspective."
President Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who disarmed in the last century, categorically refuted Trump's claims. "I am neither illegitimate nor am I a narco," he affirmed.
"The US president speaks without knowledge. Cease defaming me," he expressed in a post.
"If they [the US] bomb peasants, they will turn into a multitude of fighters in the hills. If they capture the president, which many of Colombians admires and supports, they will provoke the powerful force of the nation," he admonished.
From Guerrilla to Leader
Petro spent some years as a young man participating of the leftist M-19 insurgent movement though it is believed that he never took part in armed clashes. Following his disarmament, he was involved in writing a new constitution in 1991 and eventually served as an influential politician. He held the office of mayor of the Colombian capital before winning the nation's highest office.
"I made a vow to abstain from using arms again ... but in defense of my country I would take up arms again," he said.
Increased Security and Broad Condemnation
The Colombian defence minister stated that the national leader's protection team had been reinforced.
A segment of Colombia’s conservative opposition have sided with Trump's stance, but voices spanning the ideological divide have denounced the threats of American military action against their nation.
Political and Economic Pressure
Washington cancelled the president's entry visa subsequent to he encouraged US troops to disobey orders that violate law. In October, the US enacted economic restrictions against the president, the first lady and a number of key allies.
Concurrently while America bolstered its military presence in the region and bombing suspected drug boats to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces have also conducted attacks on maritime targets in Pacific waters off the Colombian coast.
