President Trump along with his Colombian counterpart have escalated the tone of their war of words, further raising tensions in their relations after US forces struck Venezuela with the aim of deposing President Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He runs narcotics facilities and cocaine factories and his time is running out," the US president stated.
Rising Rhetoric and Claims
Addressing journalists over the weekend, Trump suggested similar armed intervention against Colombia, asserting Colombia is also "very ill" and governed by a problematic figure who enjoys creating cocaine and trafficking it to the US."
Although Colombia remains the globe's biggest producer of cocaine, there is no evidence implicating Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is directly involved in the business.
A Frayed Relationship
Colombia for decades served as a key ally of Washington in the fight against drug trafficking and received cross-party backing from American politicians, yet ties have soured significantly since Trump was elected.
Its drug trade is largely controlled by guerrilla factions like one major cartel, the ELN guerrilla group and dissident factions of the former Farc guerrillas, most of its former fighters laid down arms following a historic peace agreement.
Colombia's Defiant Answer
Upon being questioned if a military operation comparable to Venezuela was on the cards against his country, Trump said: "That seems like a good idea to me."
The Colombian leader, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who left armed struggle in the last century, firmly denied these allegations. "I am not illegitimate and certainly not a narco," he stated.
"The US president speaks uninformed. Cease defaming me," he expressed in a message.
"If they [the US] bomb rural communities, they will become thousands of guerrillas in the mountains. And if they detain me, which many of the population holds in high esteem, they will provoke the fierce spirit of the people," Petro warned.
From Insurgent to President
He passed part of his youth belonging of the leftist M-19 insurgent movement although reports indicate he did not engaged in fighting. After demobilizing, he participated in creating the constitutional rewrite in the early 90s and eventually served as a prominent senator. He held the office of mayor of the Colombian capital before winning the nation's highest office.
"I pledged to never again hold a gun ... but for Colombia I will take up weapons once more," he affirmed.
Reinforced Protection along with Cross-Political Rejection
Colombia's defense chief stated that Petro's security detail had received additional support.
Many among Colombia’s right wing opposition have allied themselves with Trump's stance, however, leaders spanning the ideological divide have rejected the threats of an invasion against their nation.
Political and Economic Pressure
The US withdrew Petro’s visa after he urged American soldiers to disobey unlawful commands. Months later, it placed financial sanctions targeting Petro, his wife and a number of key allies.
Simultaneously while America bolstered its military presence near Venezuela and targeting vessels thought to carry drugs to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces have also conducted strikes on maritime targets off the Pacific coast near Colombia.
