Donald Trump and Colombia's president have escalated the rhetoric of their war of words, further raising tensions bilaterally following US forces attacked Venezuela with the aim of deposing President Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He has cocaine mills and processing labs and that won't last much longer," Trump added.
Escalating Threats coupled with Allegations
Talking to journalists on Sunday, the American leader suggested similar military action towards the South American nation, stating the country is also "very ill" and “run by a sick man who likes making the drug and distributing it to the US."
Although Colombia is the leading producer of cocaine, there is no evidence implicating Gustavo Petro, who was elected in 2022, is directly connected to the trade.
A Strained Partnership
The country for decades served as a key ally of the United States in the struggle against drug trafficking and enjoyed bipartisan support in Washington, but relations have soured dramatically after Trump came to office.
Its drug trade is largely controlled by guerrilla factions such as the Clan del Golfo, another leftist insurgency and dissident factions of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), the majority of whose members demobilised after a landmark accord.
Colombia's Defiant Rebuttal
Upon being questioned whether military intervention similar to Venezuela was on the cards for Colombia, Trump responded: "That seems like a good idea to me."
President Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who disarmed in the 1990s, categorically refuted the accusations. "I am not an illegitimate leader and I am not a narco," he affirmed.
"He comments without knowledge. Cease defaming me," he wrote in a message.
"If US bombs target civilians, they will become a multitude of fighters across the countryside. And if they detain me, which a significant portion of Colombians holds in high esteem, they will provoke the ‘jaguar’ of the people," he admonished.
From Guerrilla to Leader
The president dedicated part of his youth as a member with the radical M-19 armed organization but is not believed he did not took part in armed clashes. Upon leaving the group, he participated in drafting the constitutional rewrite in the early 90s and later became an influential politician. He served as mayor of the capital city before winning the presidency.
"I pledged to abstain from using a weapon again ... but for the homeland I will take up weapons once more," he affirmed.
Heightened Measures and Broad Condemnation
The Colombian defence minister reported that the national leader's protection team had been reinforced.
Several members of Colombia’s right wing opposition have expressed support with Trump's stance, yet figures spanning the political spectrum have rejected the notion of an invasion on Colombia.
Bilateral and Economic Strains
American authorities withdrew his travel authorization after he urged American soldiers to disobey unlawful commands. In October, authorities imposed economic restrictions on Petro, his spouse and a number of close collaborators.
Concurrently the US was building up its troop levels in the region and bombing suspected drug boats against Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets have also conducted attacks against vessels off the Pacific coast adjacent to Colombia.
