Donald Trump along with Colombia's president have escalated the rhetoric of their exchange, heightening strains in their relations following US forces struck Venezuela with the aim of deposing the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from power.
"He operates drug factories and cocaine factories and his time is running out," Trump added.
Rising Rhetoric coupled with Allegations
Talking to journalists over the weekend, the US president suggested similar armed intervention towards the South American nation, stating the nation faces serious problems and led by an unwell individual involved in producing the drug and selling it to the United States."
Although Colombia stands as the leading source of the narcotic, no proof exists implicating Gustavo Petro, who was elected in 2022, is directly connected to the illicit industry.
A Frayed Relationship
Colombia for decades served as a staunch collaborator of the United States in the struggle against narcotics trade and benefited from cross-party backing from American politicians, however, the relationship have deteriorated dramatically since Trump was elected.
The nation's drug trade is predominantly run by illegal armed groups like the Golf Clan, the ELN guerrilla group and renegade units of the demobilized Farc, a large contingent of whom demobilised following a 2016 peace deal.
Colombia's Defiant Rebuttal
Upon being questioned whether military intervention similar to Venezuela was a possibility against his country, Trump replied: "It sounds good to me personally."
President Petro, an ex-guerrilla fighter who left armed struggle decades ago, categorically refuted Trump's claims. "I am neither illegitimate nor am I a drug trafficker," he stated.
"He comments uninformed. Cease defaming me," he wrote in a post.
"Should American forces attack peasants, they will transform into thousands of guerrillas in the mountains. If they capture the president, whom a large part of the country loves and respects, they will release the ‘jaguar’ of the nation," Petro warned.
From Fighter to Leader
The president dedicated a period in his early life as a member with the radical M-19 insurgent movement but is not believed to have ever engaged in fighting. Following his disarmament, he was involved in writing a new constitution in the early 90s and eventually served as a respected lawmaker. He held the office of mayor of the Colombian capital before being elected president.
"I pledged not to touch a gun ... but for Colombia I will take up the fight," he said.
Increased Security and Widespread Opposition
Minister Pedro Sánchez reported that Petro's personal security had been reinforced.
Several members of Colombia’s political right have sided with the US president, yet figures from all sides of the ideological divide have rejected the possibility of American military action on Colombia.
Bilateral and Financial Sanctions
Washington withdrew Petro’s visa subsequent to he urged American soldiers to disobey any illegal orders. Later, in October, the US enacted economic restrictions against the president, his wife and several close collaborators.
At the same time as the US increased its troop levels near Venezuela and bombing alleged narcotics traffickers to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, the US have also conducted attacks on boats in Pacific waters near Colombia.
