Donald Trump along with his Colombian counterpart have escalated the tone of their war of words, heightening tensions bilaterally following US forces struck Venezuela to remove the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He operates cocaine mills and cocaine factories and that won't last much longer," Trump added.
Escalating Rhetoric and Claims
Addressing reporters over the weekend, Trump threatened comparable armed intervention against Colombia, stating the country is also "very ill" and led by an unwell individual involved in producing the drug and trafficking it to the US."
While Colombia is the world’s largest source of the narcotic, no proof exists that President Gustavo Petro, who was elected in 2022, is personally connected to the illicit industry.
A Deteriorating Partnership
Colombia for decades served as a close partner of Washington in the campaign combating drug cartels and enjoyed bipartisan support from American politicians, yet ties have deteriorated dramatically since Trump was elected.
Colombia’s narcotics trade is largely controlled by guerrilla factions including the Golf Clan, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and breakaway groups of the former Farc guerrillas, the majority of whose members demobilised after a historic peace agreement.
Petro's Defiant Answer
When asked whether military intervention similar to Venezuela was a possibility for Colombia, Trump said: "It sounds good to me personally."
Petro, an ex-guerrilla fighter who left armed struggle in the last century, categorically refuted the accusations. "I am not illegitimate and certainly not involved in narcotics," he declared.
"The US president speaks uninformed. Cease defaming me," he expressed in a message.
"If they [the US] bomb civilians, they will turn into numerous insurgents in the hills. And if they detain me, whom many of the population loves and respects, they will unleash the powerful force of the people," he admonished.
From Insurgent to Leader
The president dedicated some years as a young man belonging in the left-wing M-19 insurgent movement though it is believed that he never took part in armed clashes. Following his disarmament, he was involved in creating the nation's constitution in the early 90s subsequently becoming an influential politician. He served as mayor of the Colombian capital prior to his election president.
"I swore not to touch arms again ... but for Colombia I would take up arms again," he vowed.
Heightened Measures and Broad Opposition
The Colombian defence minister announced that the national leader's protection team was strengthened.
A segment of Colombia’s right wing opposition have expressed support with Trump, but voices spanning the ideological divide have rejected the threats of American military action targeting Colombia.
Diplomatic and Financial Strains
Washington withdrew Petro’s visa subsequent to he encouraged US troops to ignore unlawful commands. In October, it placed economic restrictions on Petro, his wife and a number of associates.
At the same time the US was building up its forces in the region and striking vessels thought to carry drugs to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, US forces have also conducted strikes on maritime targets off the Pacific coast adjacent to Colombia.
