President Trump and Colombia's president have turned up the tone of their exchange, increasing tensions bilaterally following US forces targeted Venezuela with the aim of deposing President Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He runs narcotics facilities and cocaine factories and that won't last much longer," the US president stated.
Escalating Threats coupled with Allegations
Talking to journalists over the weekend, Trump hinted at comparable military action towards the South American nation, stating Colombia is also "very ill" and governed by an unwell individual involved in producing narcotics and distributing it to the United States."
Although Colombia is the globe's biggest producer of cocaine, authorities have found no indication implicating Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is in any way connected to the illicit industry.
A Frayed Alliance
Colombia for decades served as a key ally of the United States in the struggle against narcotics trade and enjoyed wide political approval in the US capital, yet ties have worsened markedly following Trump came to office.
Its narcotics trade is predominantly run by guerrilla factions like the Clan del Golfo, the ELN guerrilla group and breakaway groups of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), a large contingent of whom disbanded subsequent to a 2016 peace deal.
Colombia's Defiant Response
Upon being questioned whether armed intervention similar to Venezuela was being considered for Colombia, Trump replied: "That seems like a good idea from my perspective."
President Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who left armed struggle in the 1990s, rejected the accusations. "I am not an illegitimate leader and I am not a narco," he affirmed.
"He comments uninformed. Stop slandering me," he expressed in a message.
"If US bombs target peasants, they will turn into thousands of guerrillas in the hills. And should they arrest me, which many of the country loves and respects, they will release the ‘jaguar’ of the populace," Petro warned.
From Fighter to President
Petro spent a period in his early life as a member with the radical M-19 armed organization although reports indicate he did not engaged in fighting. After demobilizing, he was involved in writing the nation's constitution over three decades ago and later became a prominent senator. He held the office of mayor of Bogotá before being elected the nation's highest office.
"I made a vow to abstain from using a gun ... but for the homeland I shall resume the fight," he affirmed.
Reinforced Protection and Widespread Rejection
Colombia's defense chief stated that Petro's protection team was strengthened.
Several members of Colombia’s right wing opposition have sided with the US president, however, leaders spanning Colombian politics have denounced the threats of American military action on Colombia.
Political and Financial Strains
The US withdrew his travel authorization after he urged US troops to disobey unlawful commands. Months later, the US enacted economic restrictions on Petro, his wife and several key allies.
Concurrently the US was building up its troop levels in the Caribbean and targeting alleged narcotics traffickers to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, the US executed operations on maritime targets in the eastern Pacific region adjacent to Colombia.
