Donald Trump along with President Gustavo Petro have intensified the tone in their verbal conflict, further raising tensions in their relations following American military units attacked Venezuela with the aim of deposing Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He operates narcotics facilities and cocaine factories and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump remarked.
Escalating Threats coupled with Allegations
Speaking to the press on Sunday, the American leader suggested comparable use of force towards the South American nation, claiming Colombia faces serious problems and governed by an unwell individual involved in producing the drug and trafficking it to the US."
While Colombia is the globe's biggest producer of cocaine, no proof exists that President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is directly involved in the business.
A Frayed Partnership
The country for decades served as a close partner of Washington in the campaign against narcotics trade and benefited from cross-party backing in the US capital, but relations have deteriorated dramatically following Trump assumed the presidency.
The nation's narcotics trade is predominantly run by guerrilla factions such as one major cartel, another leftist insurgency and dissident factions of the demobilized Farc, the majority of whose members disbanded following a 2016 peace deal.
Colombia's Firm Response
In response to a query if armed intervention similar to Venezuela was on the cards for Colombia, Trump responded: "It sounds good to me."
Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who disarmed in the last century, categorically refuted Trump's claims. "I am no illegitimate nor am I involved in narcotics," he affirmed.
"The US president speaks without information. End the false accusations," he expressed 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, whom many of Colombians admires and supports, they will release the ‘jaguar’ of the populace," the president cautioned.
From Insurgent to President
He passed part of his youth participating with the radical M-19 guerrilla group but is not believed that he never took part in armed clashes. Upon leaving the group, he was involved in creating the nation's constitution in the early 90s subsequently becoming an influential politician. He was mayor of the Colombian capital before winning the presidency.
"I pledged to abstain from using a weapon again ... but for the homeland I shall resume weapons once more," he affirmed.
Increased Security and Cross-Political Opposition
Minister Pedro Sánchez reported that the national leader's security detail had been reinforced.
A segment of Colombia’s right wing opposition have expressed support with Trump, but voices from across Colombian politics have rejected the possibility of American military action targeting Colombia.
Diplomatic and Financial Sanctions
Washington cancelled Petro’s visa following he called on American soldiers to refuse orders that violate law. In October, the US enacted asset freezes against the president, his wife and various key allies.
At the same time while America bolstered its troop levels in the region and targeting suspected drug boats against Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces also carried out attacks on maritime targets off the Pacific coast adjacent to Colombia.
