The US President along with President Gustavo Petro have escalated the rhetoric of their war of words, further raising tensions bilaterally after US forces struck Venezuela to remove Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He has cocaine mills and processing labs and his time is running out," Trump remarked.
Rising Tensions and Claims
Addressing journalists over the weekend, Trump suggested similar use of force towards the South American nation, stating the nation is “very sick too” and led by a sick man who enjoys creating narcotics and distributing it to America."
While Colombia remains the leading producer of cocaine, no proof exists linking President Gustavo Petro, who was elected in 2022, is in any way connected to the trade.
A Deteriorating Alliance
Colombia for decades served as a staunch collaborator of the United States in the struggle against drug trafficking and benefited from cross-party backing in Washington, however, the relationship have worsened significantly after Trump came to office.
Its illicit drug economy is largely controlled by guerrilla factions like the Clan del Golfo, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and dissident factions of the demobilized Farc, the majority of whose members disbanded following a landmark accord.
Petro's Defiant Response
In response to a query if a military operation similar to Venezuela was on the cards against his country, Trump responded: "I like the sound of that to me personally."
Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who demobilised in the 1990s, firmly denied 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 expressed in a message.
"Should American forces attack peasants, they will turn into thousands of guerrillas across the countryside. And should they arrest me, which a significant portion of the country holds in high esteem, they will unleash the powerful force of the populace," the president cautioned.
From Guerrilla to Statesman
Petro spent a period in his early life participating of the leftist M-19 guerrilla group although reports indicate he did not took part in armed clashes. Upon leaving the group, he participated in writing the constitutional rewrite in the early 90s and eventually served as a respected lawmaker. He was mayor of the Colombian capital before being elected the presidency.
"I pledged to abstain from using a gun ... but for the homeland I would take up weapons once more," he said.
Heightened Measures and Widespread Rejection
The Colombian defence minister reported that the president’s protection team was strengthened.
Many among Colombia’s conservative opposition have expressed support with Trump, however, leaders from all sides of the ideological divide have denounced the notion of American military action on Colombia.
Bilateral and Economic Pressure
The US cancelled his travel authorization subsequent to he called on US military personnel to disobey unlawful commands. In October, the US enacted financial sanctions on Petro, his spouse and several associates.
At the same time as the US increased its troop levels in the Caribbean and bombing suspected drug boats to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces also carried out operations against vessels in the eastern Pacific region off the Colombian coast.
