The US President and his Colombian counterpart have turned up the rhetoric of their war of words, heightening strains bilaterally following US forces struck Venezuela to remove President Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He runs drug factories and processing labs and his time is running out," Trump added.
Escalating Threats coupled with Allegations
Addressing reporters on Sunday, the US president suggested similar use of force against Colombia, stating the nation is also "very ill" and “run by a sick man involved in producing the drug and selling it to America."
While Colombia remains the world’s largest source of the narcotic, no proof exists linking President Gustavo Petro, who was elected in 2022, is personally tied to the trade.
A Frayed Alliance
This nation has long been a staunch collaborator of the United States in the fight against drug trafficking and received cross-party backing from American politicians, however, the relationship have deteriorated markedly following Trump was elected.
Colombia’s drug trade is mainly overseen by illegal armed groups like the Clan del Golfo, the ELN guerrilla group and renegade units of the former Farc guerrillas, a large contingent of whom demobilised following a 2016 peace deal.
Petro's Strong Answer
Upon being questioned if armed intervention comparable to Venezuela was a possibility for Colombia, Trump replied: "That seems like a good idea from my perspective."
Petro, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who left armed struggle decades ago, rejected the accusations. "I am not illegitimate and certainly not a narco," he affirmed.
"Trump speaks uninformed. End the false accusations," he expressed online.
"If US bombs target rural communities, they will turn into numerous insurgents in the mountains. If they capture the president, which a significant portion of the population admires and supports, they will unleash the ‘jaguar’ of the populace," he admonished.
From Fighter to Leader
The president dedicated a period in his early life belonging in the left-wing M-19 guerrilla group but is not believed to have ever participated in combat. Upon leaving the group, he participated in writing the constitutional rewrite over three decades ago and later became a respected lawmaker. 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 in defense of my country I will take up the fight," he said.
Reinforced Protection along with Cross-Political Condemnation
The Colombian defence minister stated that the national leader's security detail had received additional support.
Several members of Colombia’s conservative opposition have allied themselves with Trump, yet figures spanning the political spectrum have rejected the notion of American military action targeting Colombia.
Political and Economic Sanctions
The US revoked Petro’s visa following he encouraged American soldiers to refuse unlawful commands. Months later, the US enacted economic restrictions on Petro, his wife and several close collaborators.
Simultaneously while America bolstered its troop levels in the Caribbean and bombing vessels thought to carry drugs against Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces executed operations on maritime targets off the Pacific coast near Colombia.
