The US President and Colombia's president have escalated the rhetoric in their verbal conflict, further raising strains between the two countries after American military units struck Venezuela in an operation to oust Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He runs cocaine mills and production sites and that won't last much longer," Trump remarked.
Escalating Threats coupled with Claims
Talking to journalists on Sunday, the US president hinted at similar military action against Colombia, asserting Colombia is “very sick too” and governed by a sick man who likes making cocaine and trafficking it to the US."
While Colombia stands as the world’s largest cocaine-producing country, there is no evidence implicating Gustavo Petro, who was elected in 2022, is directly tied to the trade.
A Strained Partnership
Colombia for decades served as a key ally of Washington in the campaign against narcotics trade and enjoyed cross-party backing from American politicians, yet ties have soured markedly after Trump was elected.
The nation's drug trade is predominantly run by illegal armed groups including the Golf Clan, the ELN guerrilla group and breakaway groups of the demobilized Farc, most of its former fighters disbanded following a 2016 peace deal.
The President's Strong Answer
In response to a query whether military intervention like that in Venezuela was on the cards for Colombia, Trump replied: "That seems like a good idea to me."
President Petro, an ex-guerrilla fighter who demobilised decades ago, categorically refuted Trump's claims. "I am neither illegitimate and I am not a drug trafficker," he stated.
"Trump speaks without knowledge. Stop slandering me," he wrote in a message.
"If they [the US] bomb peasants, they will transform into a multitude of fighters in the mountains. And should they arrest the nation's leader, whom a significant portion of Colombians admires and supports, they will provoke the fierce spirit of the people," the president cautioned.
From Guerrilla to Leader
The president dedicated a period in his early life as a member of the leftist M-19 insurgent movement but is not believed he did not took part in armed clashes. After demobilizing, he participated in creating the constitutional rewrite in the early 90s and eventually served as a prominent senator. He served as mayor of the capital city before winning the presidency.
"I made a vow to abstain from using arms again ... but for the homeland I shall resume weapons once more," he said.
Increased Security and Broad Condemnation
The Colombian defence minister announced that the national leader's protection team had received additional support.
Many among Colombia’s political right have allied themselves with the US president, however, leaders from all sides of the ideological divide have denounced the possibility of American military action targeting Colombia.
Diplomatic and Financial Sanctions
The US withdrew Petro’s visa subsequent to he urged US troops to disobey any illegal orders. Later, in October, it placed financial sanctions on Petro, the first lady and a number of associates.
Concurrently while America bolstered its forces near Venezuela and bombing alleged narcotics traffickers against Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets also carried out strikes on boats in the eastern Pacific region off the Colombian coast.
