Donald Trump and President Gustavo Petro have turned up the rhetoric in their verbal conflict, further raising strains bilaterally after American military units attacked Venezuela to remove the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He has drug factories and production sites and his time is running out," Trump remarked.
Rising Tensions coupled with Accusations
Talking to reporters on Sunday, the US president hinted at similar armed intervention towards the South American nation, claiming the nation is also "very ill" and “run by a sick man involved in producing narcotics and selling it to America."
Although Colombia remains the globe's biggest cocaine-producing country, authorities have found no indication implicating Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is personally tied to the business.
A Strained Alliance
This nation was historically a close partner of the US in the fight against drug trafficking and enjoyed cross-party backing from American politicians, yet ties have worsened dramatically after Trump came to office.
The nation's drug trade is largely controlled by guerrilla factions including one major cartel, another leftist insurgency and breakaway groups of the former Farc guerrillas, most of its former fighters disbanded following a 2016 peace deal.
Petro's Strong Answer
In response to a query if military intervention comparable to Venezuela was on the cards for Colombia, Trump responded: "I like the sound of that to me."
The Colombian leader, a former leftist guerrilla who left armed struggle in the 1990s, firmly denied the accusations. "I am no illegitimate nor am I a narco," he stated.
"He comments without information. Cease defaming me," he wrote online.
"If they [the US] bomb rural communities, they will transform into numerous insurgents across the countryside. And if they detain the nation's leader, whom many of Colombians loves and respects, they will provoke the fierce spirit of the nation," the president cautioned.
From Guerrilla to Leader
Petro spent part of his youth belonging in the left-wing M-19 guerrilla group but is not believed to have ever engaged in fighting. Upon leaving the group, he participated in writing a new constitution in 1991 subsequently becoming an influential politician. He was mayor of the capital city prior to his election the presidency.
"I pledged not to touch arms again ... but in defense of my country I would take up weapons once more," he affirmed.
Reinforced Protection along with Widespread Opposition
The Colombian defence minister reported that Petro's security detail had received additional support.
A segment of Colombia’s political right have sided with Trump's stance, however, leaders from all sides of the political spectrum have rejected the threats of an invasion targeting Colombia.
Political and Economic Strains
American authorities revoked the president's entry visa following he urged American soldiers to disobey orders that violate law. Months later, it placed financial sanctions against the president, his spouse and various close collaborators.
Simultaneously while America bolstered its military presence in the Caribbean and targeting alleged narcotics traffickers to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, the US also carried out strikes on boats in the eastern Pacific region adjacent to Colombia.
