Donald Trump and Colombia's president have turned up the tone in their verbal conflict, further raising tensions bilaterally following US forces struck Venezuela with the aim of deposing President Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He has cocaine mills and production sites and his time is running out," Trump remarked.
Rising Threats and Claims
Addressing the press over the weekend, the American leader suggested comparable use of force towards the South American nation, asserting the nation is “very sick too” and led by a problematic figure who enjoys creating the drug and distributing it to the United States."
Although Colombia remains the globe's biggest producer of cocaine, no proof exists that President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is directly tied to the trade.
A Deteriorating Partnership
This nation for decades served as a close partner of the United States in the fight against narcotics trade and benefited from bipartisan support from American politicians, but relations have worsened significantly after Trump was elected.
Colombia’s drug trade is predominantly run by guerrilla factions such as the Golf Clan, another leftist insurgency and renegade units of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), most of its former fighters disbanded subsequent to a historic peace agreement.
Colombia's Defiant Rebuttal
When asked whether military intervention similar to Venezuela was a possibility for Colombia, Trump said: "It sounds good to me personally."
The Colombian leader, a former leftist guerrilla who demobilised decades ago, rejected these allegations. "I am no an illegitimate leader and certainly not a narco," he declared.
"He comments without knowledge. Stop slandering me," he posted online.
"If US bombs target civilians, they will turn into a multitude of fighters across the countryside. And should they arrest the nation's leader, whom a large part of the population holds in high esteem, they will provoke the fierce spirit of the people," he admonished.
From Guerrilla to Leader
Petro spent part of his youth participating of the leftist M-19 guerrilla group but is not believed that he never took part in armed clashes. Following his disarmament, he participated in drafting the constitutional rewrite in 1991 and eventually served as a respected lawmaker. He held the office of mayor of Bogotá before winning the nation's highest office.
"I made a vow to abstain from using a gun ... but for Colombia I would take up the fight," he said.
Increased Security and Widespread Opposition
The Colombian defence minister stated that Petro's protection team was strengthened.
Many among Colombia’s conservative opposition have sided with the US president, however, leaders spanning Colombian politics have condemned the threats of American military action on Colombia.
Diplomatic and Economic Strains
Washington revoked the president's entry visa after he encouraged US military personnel to ignore orders that violate law. In October, it placed economic restrictions against the president, his wife and several key allies.
Concurrently while America bolstered its troop levels in the Caribbean and striking alleged narcotics traffickers to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces executed operations on boats in Pacific waters off the Colombian coast.
