President Trump and President Gustavo Petro have escalated the rhetoric in their verbal conflict, increasing strains in their relations following American military units attacked Venezuela in an operation to oust President Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He has cocaine mills and processing labs and his time is running out," the US president stated.
Rising Rhetoric coupled with Claims
Speaking to journalists over the weekend, Trump threatened similar armed intervention against Colombia, claiming the nation faces serious problems and “run by a problematic figure who enjoys creating the drug and trafficking it to America."
While Colombia is the world’s largest producer of cocaine, authorities have found no indication implicating Gustavo Petro, elected two years ago, is in any way tied to the trade.
A Deteriorating Relationship
Colombia was historically a staunch collaborator of Washington in the campaign against drug trafficking and benefited from bipartisan support in the US capital, yet ties have deteriorated markedly since Trump was elected.
Colombia’s narcotics trade is mainly overseen by illegal armed groups like one major cartel, the ELN guerrilla group and renegade units of the former Farc guerrillas, a large contingent of whom laid down arms after a historic peace agreement.
Colombia's Defiant Response
In response to a query whether a military operation like that in Venezuela was a possibility for Colombia, Trump replied: "I like the sound of that to me personally."
Petro, an ex-guerrilla fighter who demobilised in the last century, rejected these allegations. "I am no illegitimate and I am not involved in narcotics," he declared.
"He comments uninformed. Stop slandering me," he posted online.
"Should American forces attack peasants, they will transform into a multitude of fighters in the mountains. If they capture the nation's leader, which many of Colombians holds in high esteem, they will unleash the powerful force of the populace," Petro warned.
From Fighter to Leader
He passed part of his youth participating of the leftist M-19 guerrilla group although reports indicate that he never participated in combat. Following his disarmament, he took part in drafting a new constitution over three decades ago and later became a prominent senator. He held the office of mayor of the capital city before winning the nation's highest office.
"I swore to abstain from using a weapon again ... but for the homeland I would take up the fight," he said.
Heightened Measures and Cross-Political Condemnation
Colombia's defense chief announced that the president’s security detail had been reinforced.
Several members of Colombia’s right wing opposition have expressed support with the US president, yet figures spanning the political spectrum have rejected the possibility of a US attack against their nation.
Bilateral and Economic Pressure
American authorities withdrew Petro’s visa after he called on US troops to ignore orders that violate law. In October, the US enacted economic restrictions against the president, the first lady and a number of associates.
At the same time as the US increased its military presence near Venezuela and striking suspected drug boats to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, the US executed attacks against vessels in the eastern Pacific region off the Colombian coast.
