Donald Trump and Colombia's president have intensified the rhetoric in their verbal conflict, heightening tensions bilaterally following American military units attacked Venezuela to remove President Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He operates narcotics facilities and processing labs and his time is running out," Trump remarked.
Rising Threats coupled with Allegations
Addressing journalists over the weekend, the American leader suggested analogous military action against Bogotá, stating Colombia is also "very ill" and “run by a problematic figure who enjoys creating cocaine and selling it to the US."
Although Colombia remains the world’s largest cocaine-producing country, there is no evidence implicating Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is personally involved in the business.
A Deteriorating Partnership
The country for decades served as a close partner of the United States in the campaign against narcotics trade and enjoyed cross-party backing from American politicians, but relations have deteriorated markedly following Trump assumed the presidency.
Colombia’s narcotics trade is largely controlled by criminal organizations including one major cartel, another leftist insurgency and dissident factions of the demobilized Farc, the majority of whose members disbanded following a landmark accord.
Colombia's Defiant Answer
Upon being questioned if armed intervention similar to Venezuela was being considered against his country, Trump said: "I like the sound of that from my perspective."
Petro, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who disarmed decades ago, rejected Trump's claims. "I am neither illegitimate and certainly not a drug trafficker," he affirmed.
"He comments without knowledge. End the false accusations," he wrote in a post.
"If they [the US] bomb civilians, they will turn into thousands of guerrillas in the hills. And if they detain the president, which a significant portion of Colombians holds in high esteem, they will unleash the ‘jaguar’ of the nation," the president cautioned.
From Fighter to President
He passed some years as a young man as a member of the leftist M-19 armed organization but is not believed to have ever took part in armed clashes. Following his disarmament, he participated in creating the constitutional rewrite over three decades ago and eventually served as a respected lawmaker. He held the office of mayor of Bogotá before winning the presidency.
"I made a vow not to touch a weapon again ... but for Colombia I would take up the fight," he affirmed.
Reinforced Protection and Widespread Opposition
The Colombian defence minister announced that the president’s security detail had been reinforced.
A segment of Colombia’s political right have sided with Trump's stance, but voices from across Colombian politics have denounced the threats of a US attack on Colombia.
Political and Financial Strains
The US revoked his travel authorization following he called on US troops to ignore any illegal orders. Later, in October, it placed financial sanctions on Petro, his wife and several associates.
Concurrently the US was building up its military presence in the region and targeting vessels thought to carry drugs to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces have also conducted attacks against vessels off the Pacific coast near Colombia.
