Donald Trump and his Colombian counterpart have intensified the volume in their verbal conflict, increasing tensions bilaterally after American military units struck Venezuela in an operation to oust Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He has cocaine mills and cocaine factories and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump remarked.
Rising Rhetoric coupled with Allegations
Talking to reporters on Sunday, Trump suggested comparable armed intervention against Bogotá, asserting Colombia faces serious problems and governed by a problematic figure who enjoys creating narcotics and trafficking it to the US."
While Colombia stands as the world’s largest producer of cocaine, no proof exists implicating Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is in any way involved in the trade.
A Strained Alliance
The country has long been a key ally of the US in the struggle against narcotics trade and received bipartisan support in Washington, yet ties have worsened markedly after Trump was elected.
Colombia’s drug trade is mainly overseen by guerrilla factions including one major cartel, the ELN guerrilla group and breakaway groups of the former Farc guerrillas, most of its former fighters demobilised following a historic peace agreement.
Colombia's Defiant Response
When asked if armed intervention like that in Venezuela was on the cards regarding Colombia, Trump replied: "It sounds good to me personally."
The Colombian leader, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who disarmed in the 1990s, firmly denied these allegations. "I am not illegitimate nor am I a drug trafficker," he declared.
"The US president speaks without knowledge. Cease defaming me," he wrote in a post.
"If US bombs target peasants, they will turn into numerous insurgents in the mountains. And if they detain me, whom a significant portion of Colombians admires and supports, they will unleash the ‘jaguar’ of the populace," he admonished.
From Insurgent to Leader
He passed a period in his early life as a member in the left-wing M-19 armed organization but is not believed to have ever participated in combat. After demobilizing, he took part in creating the constitutional rewrite in 1991 subsequently becoming a respected lawmaker. He was mayor of the Colombian capital before being elected president.
"I swore to never again hold arms again ... but in defense of my country I will take up arms again," he said.
Reinforced Protection and Widespread Condemnation
Colombia's defense chief reported that Petro's protection team was strengthened.
Many among Colombia’s right wing opposition have expressed support with Trump, but voices spanning Colombian politics have condemned the possibility of American military action on Colombia.
Political and Economic Pressure
The US withdrew his travel authorization following he encouraged US troops to ignore unlawful commands. In October, it placed economic restrictions targeting Petro, the first lady and a number of key allies.
At the same time as the US increased its military presence in the Caribbean and targeting alleged narcotics traffickers to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets also carried out attacks on boats in the eastern Pacific region near Colombia.
