President Trump and Colombia's president have turned up the tone of their exchange, heightening strains bilaterally after American military units struck Venezuela in an operation to oust President Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He runs drug factories and cocaine factories and that won't last much longer," Trump remarked.
Escalating Tensions and Allegations
Addressing the press over the weekend, the US president threatened similar military action against Bogotá, stating the country is “very sick too” and governed by a sick man who enjoys creating narcotics and distributing it to America."
Although Colombia stands as the world’s largest producer of cocaine, no proof exists that President Gustavo Petro, who was elected in 2022, is directly involved in the trade.
A Frayed Relationship
The country for decades served as a staunch collaborator of the US in the campaign against narcotics trade and benefited from bipartisan support in the US capital, however, the relationship have deteriorated dramatically after Trump was elected.
Its drug trade is predominantly run by illegal armed groups like one major cartel, another leftist insurgency and breakaway groups of the demobilized Farc, most of its former fighters disbanded after a historic peace agreement.
The President's Defiant Response
Upon being questioned if armed intervention similar to Venezuela was on the cards for Colombia, Trump said: "I like the sound of that to me personally."
Petro, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who disarmed in the last century, categorically refuted Trump's claims. "I am no an illegitimate leader and I am not a drug trafficker," he stated.
"He comments uninformed. End the false accusations," he wrote in a post.
"If they [the US] bomb civilians, they will become numerous insurgents in the hills. If they capture the nation's leader, whom many of Colombians admires and supports, they will provoke the powerful force of the people," Petro warned.
From Fighter to Leader
He passed part of his youth as a member in the left-wing M-19 guerrilla group but is not believed to have ever engaged in fighting. After demobilizing, he participated in creating the nation's constitution over three decades ago and eventually served as a prominent senator. He served as mayor of the Colombian capital before winning the nation's highest office.
"I swore to never again hold arms again ... but in defense of my country I will take up the fight," he affirmed.
Increased Security along with Cross-Political Condemnation
Minister Pedro Sánchez stated that Petro's security detail had been reinforced.
Several members of Colombia’s conservative opposition have sided with the US president, yet figures spanning Colombian politics have rejected the notion of a US attack targeting Colombia.
Bilateral and Economic Pressure
Washington withdrew Petro’s visa subsequent to he called on US troops to refuse any illegal orders. In October, it placed financial sanctions against the president, his spouse and various close collaborators.
Simultaneously while America bolstered its troop levels in the Caribbean and targeting suspected drug boats to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, the US executed strikes on maritime targets in the eastern Pacific region near Colombia.
