President Trump and President Gustavo Petro have turned up the tone in their verbal conflict, heightening tensions between the two countries following US forces attacked Venezuela in an operation to oust Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He has cocaine mills and processing labs and his time is running out," Trump added.
Growing Rhetoric coupled with Accusations
Addressing the press over the weekend, the US president hinted at similar armed intervention against Bogotá, asserting Colombia faces serious problems and led by a problematic figure involved in producing the drug and distributing it to America."
Although Colombia remains the leading source of the narcotic, authorities have found no indication implicating Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is personally tied to the trade.
A Deteriorating Alliance
This nation for decades served as a close partner of Washington in the struggle combating drug cartels and benefited from cross-party backing from American politicians, yet ties have deteriorated markedly after Trump assumed the presidency.
Colombia’s drug trade is predominantly run by criminal organizations such as the Clan del Golfo, the ELN guerrilla group and dissident factions of the former Farc guerrillas, most of its former fighters laid down arms subsequent to a historic peace agreement.
Colombia's Firm Response
Upon being questioned if armed intervention similar to Venezuela was a possibility regarding Colombia, Trump said: "I like the sound of that to me."
The Colombian leader, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who disarmed in the last century, categorically refuted Trump's claims. "I am no an illegitimate leader nor am I a narco," he affirmed.
"Trump speaks uninformed. Stop slandering me," he expressed online.
"If they [the US] bomb peasants, they will turn into thousands of guerrillas in the hills. And should they arrest the nation's leader, whom many of the population admires and supports, they will unleash the ‘jaguar’ of the people," Petro warned.
From Fighter to Statesman
Petro spent a period in his early life as a member in the left-wing M-19 armed organization but is not believed to have ever participated in combat. Following his disarmament, he was involved in creating the nation's constitution over three decades ago and later became a respected lawmaker. He was mayor of the Colombian capital before being elected president.
"I made a vow not to touch arms again ... but for the homeland I will take up weapons once more," he affirmed.
Heightened Measures and Broad Rejection
The Colombian defence minister reported that the national leader's personal security had been reinforced.
A segment of Colombia’s right wing opposition have sided with the US president, however, leaders from all sides of the ideological divide have denounced the possibility of American military action against their nation.
Bilateral and Financial Sanctions
Washington withdrew the president's entry visa subsequent to he urged US military personnel to disobey any illegal orders. Months later, it placed economic restrictions against the president, his wife and several associates.
At the same time as the US increased its troop levels near Venezuela and targeting alleged narcotics traffickers to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets also carried out attacks on boats in the eastern Pacific region off the Colombian coast.
