President Trump and his Colombian counterpart have turned up the rhetoric of their war of words, increasing strains in their relations after US forces targeted Venezuela to remove the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He operates drug factories and cocaine factories and that won't last much longer," Trump remarked.
Escalating Tensions coupled with Allegations
Addressing reporters on Sunday, Trump hinted at comparable armed intervention against Colombia, claiming the nation is also "very ill" and governed by an unwell individual involved in producing cocaine and distributing it to the United States."
Although Colombia remains the leading cocaine-producing country, no proof exists that President Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is in any way tied to the business.
A Strained Partnership
The country has long been a staunch collaborator of Washington in the fight against narcotics trade and received bipartisan support from American politicians, however, the relationship have worsened markedly following Trump assumed the presidency.
The nation's illicit drug economy is largely controlled by criminal organizations like one major cartel, another leftist insurgency and dissident factions of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), most of its former fighters disbanded following a historic peace agreement.
Petro's Defiant Answer
When asked whether a military operation like that in Venezuela was being considered for Colombia, Trump replied: "That seems like a good idea to me."
Petro, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who disarmed in the last century, categorically refuted Trump's claims. "I am not illegitimate nor am I involved in narcotics," he affirmed.
"The US president speaks uninformed. Stop slandering me," he wrote in a post.
"If US bombs target rural communities, they will transform into thousands of guerrillas in the mountains. If they capture me, whom a large part of the country admires and supports, they will release the ‘jaguar’ of the people," the president cautioned.
From Fighter to Leader
He passed a period in his early life belonging with the radical M-19 insurgent movement though it is believed to have ever engaged in fighting. Following his disarmament, he was involved in creating the constitutional rewrite in 1991 subsequently becoming a respected lawmaker. He held the office of mayor of the Colombian capital prior to his election the nation's highest office.
"I pledged to never again hold a gun ... but for Colombia I will take up arms again," he vowed.
Heightened Measures along with Broad Condemnation
The Colombian defence minister reported that the president’s personal security had received additional support.
Several members of Colombia’s right wing opposition have allied themselves with Trump's stance, but voices spanning the political spectrum have denounced the threats of a US attack on Colombia.
Political and Financial Pressure
The US withdrew his travel authorization subsequent to he encouraged American soldiers to refuse orders that violate law. Later, in October, the US enacted financial sanctions against the president, the first lady and a number of associates.
Concurrently while America bolstered its military presence in the Caribbean and bombing vessels thought to carry drugs to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, the US have also conducted operations against vessels off the Pacific coast off the Colombian coast.
