President Trump along with Colombia's president have turned up the tone in their verbal conflict, increasing strains bilaterally following US forces targeted Venezuela in an operation to oust the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He has drug factories and processing labs and that won't last much longer," the US president stated.
Rising Rhetoric and Allegations
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, the American leader hinted at similar military action towards the South American nation, claiming Colombia is also "very ill" and governed by an unwell individual involved in producing narcotics and selling it to the US."
While Colombia is the leading cocaine-producing country, there is no evidence that President Gustavo Petro, who was elected in 2022, is personally connected to the business.
A Frayed Alliance
This nation for decades served as a close partner of Washington in the struggle against drug trafficking and received bipartisan support in the US capital, however, the relationship have soured significantly following Trump came to office.
Its illicit drug economy is largely controlled by guerrilla factions like the Golf Clan, the ELN guerrilla group and breakaway groups of the demobilized Farc, most of its former fighters disbanded after a 2016 peace deal.
The President's Defiant Response
In response to a query if armed intervention like that in Venezuela was on the cards against his country, Trump said: "I like the sound of that to me personally."
Petro, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who left armed struggle in the 1990s, categorically refuted Trump's claims. "I am neither an illegitimate leader and I am not involved in narcotics," he affirmed.
"Trump speaks uninformed. Stop slandering me," he wrote in a post.
"Should American forces attack rural communities, they will become a multitude of fighters in the hills. And if they detain the president, which a large part of the country admires and supports, they will unleash the fierce spirit of the people," the president cautioned.
From Guerrilla to Leader
Petro spent a period in his early life participating in the left-wing M-19 guerrilla group though it is believed that he never took part in armed clashes. After demobilizing, he participated in drafting the nation's constitution in 1991 and later became a prominent senator. He was mayor of the Colombian capital before being elected president.
"I made a vow to abstain from using arms again ... but in defense of my country I shall resume the fight," he said.
Reinforced Protection and Widespread Condemnation
Colombia's defense chief announced that Petro's security detail had received additional support.
Several members of Colombia’s right wing opposition have sided with Trump's stance, yet figures from all sides of Colombian politics have denounced the possibility of an invasion targeting Colombia.
Diplomatic and Economic Pressure
American authorities withdrew his travel authorization subsequent to he encouraged American soldiers to disobey unlawful commands. Months later, it placed asset freezes targeting Petro, his spouse and several key allies.
Simultaneously while America bolstered its forces in the region and bombing alleged narcotics traffickers to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets executed operations on maritime targets off the Pacific coast off the Colombian coast.
