President Trump along with his Colombian counterpart have intensified the rhetoric of their exchange, further raising strains bilaterally after US forces struck Venezuela to remove the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He runs narcotics facilities and cocaine factories and his time is running out," Trump remarked.
Rising Threats coupled with Accusations
Talking to journalists over the weekend, the American leader hinted at similar armed intervention towards the South American nation, claiming Colombia is also "very ill" and governed by a problematic figure involved in producing cocaine and selling it to the US."
Although Colombia stands as the world’s largest cocaine-producing country, there is no evidence that President Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is directly tied to the trade.
A Deteriorating Relationship
This nation has long been a key ally of Washington in the campaign against narcotics trade and benefited from bipartisan support in Washington, however, the relationship have deteriorated dramatically following Trump came to office.
The nation's narcotics trade is predominantly run by guerrilla factions 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 historic peace agreement.
Petro's Defiant Rebuttal
Upon being questioned whether armed intervention like that in Venezuela was being considered for Colombia, Trump said: "I like the sound of that from my perspective."
The Colombian leader, a former leftist guerrilla who left armed struggle in the last century, categorically refuted the accusations. "I am no illegitimate and certainly not a drug trafficker," he affirmed.
"The US president speaks without knowledge. Cease defaming me," he posted in a post.
"If they [the US] bomb rural communities, they will transform into numerous insurgents across the countryside. And if they detain me, which a large part of the population admires and supports, they will release the powerful force of the people," he admonished.
From Insurgent to President
Petro spent a period in his early life participating of the leftist M-19 guerrilla group but is not believed that he never participated in combat. After demobilizing, he participated in drafting a new constitution in 1991 and later became a prominent senator. He was mayor of the Colombian capital before winning the nation's highest office.
"I made a vow to abstain from using a weapon again ... but for Colombia I will take up weapons once more," he affirmed.
Increased Security along with Cross-Political Rejection
Minister Pedro Sánchez announced that the national leader's protection team had been reinforced.
A segment of Colombia’s political right have expressed support with the US president, however, leaders spanning the political spectrum have rejected the notion of an invasion against their nation.
Diplomatic and Financial Strains
American authorities revoked his travel authorization subsequent to he urged American soldiers to ignore unlawful commands. Months later, the US enacted asset freezes against the president, his spouse and several associates.
Simultaneously the US was building up its troop levels in the Caribbean and striking vessels thought to carry drugs against Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces executed operations against vessels off the Pacific coast near Colombia.
