President Trump and his Colombian counterpart have turned up the volume of their war of words, heightening tensions in their relations following US forces targeted Venezuela with the aim of deposing Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He runs cocaine mills and processing labs and is not going to be doing it very long," Trump added.
Escalating Threats and Allegations
Talking to journalists over the weekend, Trump threatened analogous military action against Colombia, claiming Colombia is also "very ill" and led by a problematic figure who enjoys creating the drug and selling it to the United States."
Although Colombia stands as the leading cocaine-producing country, authorities have found no indication that President Gustavo Petro, who was elected in 2022, is directly tied to the trade.
A Frayed Partnership
This nation has long been a key ally of the United States in the fight against drug trafficking and benefited from wide political approval from American politicians, however, the relationship have soured significantly since Trump was elected.
The nation's illicit drug economy is largely controlled by guerrilla factions like the Clan del Golfo, another leftist insurgency and renegade units of the demobilized Farc, most of its former fighters laid down arms following a landmark accord.
The President's Strong Rebuttal
When asked whether a military operation similar to Venezuela was on the cards against his country, Trump responded: "It sounds good to me personally."
President Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who disarmed in the last century, categorically refuted these allegations. "I am not an illegitimate leader nor am I a drug trafficker," he declared.
"He comments without knowledge. End the false accusations," he expressed in a post.
"If US bombs target peasants, they will transform into thousands of guerrillas in the mountains. If they capture the nation's leader, which a significant portion of the population loves and respects, they will unleash the ‘jaguar’ of the people," the president cautioned.
From Insurgent to President
The president dedicated a period in his early life participating with the radical M-19 armed organization though it is believed he did not participated in combat. After demobilizing, he took part in drafting a new constitution in the early 90s and eventually served as an influential politician. He was mayor of the Colombian capital before winning the nation's highest office.
"I pledged not to touch a weapon again ... but for Colombia I would take up weapons once more," he affirmed.
Reinforced Protection along with Widespread Condemnation
Minister Pedro Sánchez reported that the national leader's protection team had been reinforced.
Several members of Colombia’s conservative opposition have expressed support with Trump, but voices from across the political spectrum have condemned the possibility of an invasion on Colombia.
Bilateral and Economic Pressure
The US withdrew Petro’s visa after he urged American soldiers to disobey any illegal orders. In October, it placed economic restrictions on Petro, his spouse and several key allies.
At the same time as the US increased its troop levels near Venezuela and striking alleged narcotics traffickers to pressure Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets also carried out operations on boats off the Pacific coast off the Colombian coast.
