The US President and Colombia's president have turned up the volume in their verbal conflict, heightening tensions in their relations following US forces targeted Venezuela in an operation to oust President Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He operates narcotics facilities and production sites and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump remarked.
Growing Threats coupled with Allegations
Speaking to journalists over the weekend, the US president suggested analogous military action against Bogotá, asserting the nation is also "very ill" and “run by a problematic figure who likes making cocaine and distributing it to America."
While Colombia stands as the globe's biggest source of the narcotic, authorities have found no indication linking President Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is directly involved in the trade.
A Strained Relationship
This nation was historically a close partner of the United States in the campaign combating drug cartels and enjoyed wide political approval in Washington, however, the relationship have deteriorated significantly after Trump was elected.
Colombia’s drug trade is largely controlled by illegal armed groups including the Golf Clan, the ELN guerrilla group and renegade units of the former Farc guerrillas, most of its former fighters laid down arms following a 2016 peace deal.
Petro's Strong Answer
Upon being questioned whether a military operation similar to Venezuela was on the cards for Colombia, Trump replied: "I like the sound of that to me."
The Colombian leader, a former leftist guerrilla who demobilised decades ago, firmly denied Trump's claims. "I am no an illegitimate leader and certainly not a drug trafficker," he affirmed.
"Trump speaks uninformed. Cease defaming me," he wrote online.
"If they [the US] bomb peasants, they will transform into thousands of guerrillas in the hills. And if they detain me, whom many of the country loves and respects, they will unleash the ‘jaguar’ of the nation," the president cautioned.
From Fighter to President
Petro spent a period in his early life participating of the leftist M-19 insurgent movement though it is believed to have ever took part in armed clashes. Upon leaving the group, he took part in writing the constitutional rewrite over three decades ago and eventually served as a respected lawmaker. He held the office of mayor of the Colombian capital before being elected the presidency.
"I made a vow to never again hold arms again ... but for Colombia I would take up the fight," he vowed.
Heightened Measures along with Cross-Political Opposition
Colombia's defense chief reported that the president’s personal security was strengthened.
A segment of Colombia’s right wing opposition have allied themselves with the US president, however, leaders from across the political spectrum have condemned the possibility of American military action against their nation.
Political and Economic Strains
The US cancelled Petro’s visa after he called on American soldiers to ignore unlawful commands. Months later, the US enacted economic restrictions against the president, the first lady and various close collaborators.
Simultaneously while America bolstered its forces near Venezuela and targeting vessels thought to carry drugs against Venezuela’s Maduro, the US have also conducted operations against vessels off the Pacific coast off the Colombian coast.
