Donald Trump and his Colombian counterpart have escalated the tone of their exchange, further raising tensions in their relations following American military units struck Venezuela with the aim of deposing Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He has narcotics facilities and processing labs and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump remarked.
Growing Tensions coupled with Allegations
Speaking to the press over the weekend, the American leader hinted at similar armed intervention against Bogotá, stating the nation faces serious problems and governed by an unwell individual who likes making the drug and trafficking it to America."
While Colombia remains the globe's biggest producer of cocaine, authorities have found no indication that President Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is personally involved in the business.
A Frayed Relationship
The country for decades served as a close partner of the United States in the campaign against drug trafficking and enjoyed cross-party backing in the US capital, yet ties have soured dramatically since Trump came to office.
The nation's illicit drug economy is largely controlled by criminal organizations like the Clan del Golfo, the ELN guerrilla group and breakaway groups of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), the majority of whose members disbanded subsequent to a 2016 peace deal.
The President's Firm Answer
In response to a query if military intervention like that in Venezuela was a possibility regarding Colombia, Trump said: "It sounds good to me."
President Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who left armed struggle in the last century, firmly denied Trump's claims. "I am no an illegitimate leader and certainly not a narco," he affirmed.
"The US president speaks uninformed. Stop slandering me," he expressed in a post.
"If US bombs target civilians, they will become thousands of guerrillas in the hills. If they capture me, whom many of the country holds in high esteem, they will release the fierce spirit of the nation," he admonished.
From Fighter to Statesman
Petro spent some years as a young man as a member of the leftist M-19 guerrilla group but is not believed to have ever engaged in fighting. Following his disarmament, he took part in creating the constitutional rewrite in the early 90s subsequently becoming a prominent senator. He served as mayor of Bogotá before being elected the nation's highest office.
"I swore to never again hold arms again ... but in defense of my country I will take up weapons once more," he affirmed.
Heightened Measures and Widespread Condemnation
Minister Pedro Sánchez stated that the president’s protection team had been reinforced.
A segment of Colombia’s right wing opposition have allied themselves with the US president, but voices from across the ideological divide have denounced the threats of a US attack targeting Colombia.
Diplomatic and Economic Pressure
American authorities revoked his travel authorization subsequent to he called on US military personnel to disobey any illegal orders. Months later, it placed asset freezes targeting Petro, his spouse and several close collaborators.
At the same time the US was building up its military presence in the region and striking alleged narcotics traffickers against Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces have also conducted strikes on boats off the Pacific coast off the Colombian coast.
