Donald Trump and President Gustavo Petro have turned up the volume in their verbal conflict, heightening tensions in their relations following American military units attacked Venezuela with the aim of deposing President Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He has cocaine mills and cocaine factories and that won't last much longer," Trump added.
Escalating Rhetoric coupled with Allegations
Addressing reporters on Sunday, Trump hinted at comparable armed intervention towards the South American nation, claiming the nation is also "very ill" and governed by an unwell individual who enjoys creating the drug and selling it to America."
While Colombia is the leading source of the narcotic, no proof exists implicating Gustavo Petro, who was elected in 2022, is personally tied to the illicit industry.
A Strained Relationship
The country has long been a close partner of the US in the fight combating drug cartels and enjoyed bipartisan support in the US capital, however, the relationship have soured markedly following Trump came to office.
Colombia’s illicit drug economy is largely controlled by criminal organizations like the Golf Clan, another leftist insurgency and breakaway groups of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), most of its former fighters disbanded following a historic peace agreement.
Colombia's Firm Answer
When asked whether a military operation like that in Venezuela was on the cards against his country, Trump said: "I like the sound of that to me."
Petro, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who left armed struggle decades ago, rejected the accusations. "I am no an illegitimate leader and certainly not a drug trafficker," he affirmed.
"He comments uninformed. Cease defaming me," he expressed in a message.
"Should American forces attack rural communities, they will turn into thousands of guerrillas in the hills. And if they detain the nation's leader, which a large part of the population admires and supports, they will provoke the ‘jaguar’ of the nation," the president cautioned.
From Fighter to Statesman
He passed a period in his early life as a member of the leftist M-19 guerrilla group although reports indicate to have ever engaged in fighting. Following his disarmament, he was involved in drafting the constitutional rewrite in 1991 and eventually served as an influential politician. He held the office of mayor of the capital city before being elected the nation's highest office.
"I swore to abstain from using a gun ... but for Colombia I shall resume the fight," he said.
Heightened Measures and Broad Opposition
Colombia's defense chief announced that Petro's security detail had received additional support.
Several members of Colombia’s conservative opposition have allied themselves with Trump, however, leaders from across the political spectrum have denounced the possibility of American military action on Colombia.
Political and Financial Sanctions
American authorities revoked the president's entry visa after he urged US military personnel to ignore any illegal orders. In October, the US enacted economic restrictions on Petro, the first lady and several associates.
Simultaneously while America bolstered its forces in the Caribbean and striking vessels thought to carry drugs to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces also carried out attacks on boats in the eastern Pacific region off the Colombian coast.
