Donald Trump along with Colombia's president have intensified the volume of their exchange, increasing strains bilaterally following American military units attacked Venezuela with the aim of deposing Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He runs cocaine mills and processing labs and that won't last much longer," Trump added.
Growing Tensions and Accusations
Addressing the press over the weekend, Trump hinted at analogous armed intervention towards the South American nation, asserting the nation is “very sick too” and led by an unwell individual who likes making narcotics and distributing it to the United States."
Although Colombia is the globe's biggest cocaine-producing country, authorities have found no indication linking President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is personally tied to the illicit industry.
A Strained Partnership
This nation was historically a key ally of the United States in the campaign against drug trafficking and enjoyed bipartisan support in the US capital, however, the relationship have deteriorated dramatically following Trump was elected.
Colombia’s narcotics trade is mainly overseen by guerrilla factions like one major cartel, the ELN guerrilla group and dissident factions of the demobilized Farc, most of its former fighters laid down arms subsequent to a historic peace agreement.
Petro's Defiant Answer
In response to a query whether a military operation like that in Venezuela was a possibility regarding Colombia, Trump responded: "It sounds good to me."
The Colombian leader, a former leftist guerrilla who disarmed in the last century, rejected these allegations. "I am neither illegitimate and certainly not a narco," he affirmed.
"Trump speaks without information. Stop slandering me," he wrote online.
"Should American forces attack peasants, they will turn into numerous insurgents in the mountains. And should they arrest the nation's leader, which many of Colombians admires and supports, they will provoke the powerful force of the populace," Petro warned.
From Guerrilla to Leader
Petro spent a period in his early life as a member of the leftist M-19 armed organization but is not believed he did not engaged in fighting. Upon leaving the group, he was involved in writing the nation's constitution in 1991 subsequently becoming an influential politician. He held the office of mayor of Bogotá prior to his election president.
"I swore to abstain from using a gun ... but for the homeland I would take up the fight," he vowed.
Heightened Measures along with Widespread Opposition
The Colombian defence minister stated that the national leader's security detail had received additional support.
A segment of Colombia’s right wing opposition have allied themselves with Trump's stance, however, leaders from all sides of the political spectrum have denounced the threats of American military action on Colombia.
Bilateral and Economic Strains
Washington cancelled his travel authorization following he encouraged American soldiers to disobey any illegal orders. Later, in October, the US enacted asset freezes targeting Petro, the first lady and several close collaborators.
At the same time as the US increased its forces in the Caribbean and bombing alleged narcotics traffickers to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets also carried out operations on maritime targets in Pacific waters off the Colombian coast.
