The US President and his Colombian counterpart have escalated the tone of their exchange, further raising tensions between the two countries after American military units struck Venezuela in an operation to oust President Nicolás Maduro from his position.
"He runs cocaine mills and processing labs and his time is running out," Trump remarked.
Growing Threats and Accusations
Addressing the press on Sunday, the American leader threatened analogous armed intervention against Colombia, asserting Colombia faces serious problems and “run by a problematic figure who likes making narcotics and trafficking it to the United States."
While Colombia is the globe's biggest cocaine-producing country, authorities have found no indication that President Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is personally involved in the trade.
A Deteriorating Partnership
The country was historically a close partner of Washington in the struggle against narcotics trade and enjoyed bipartisan support in Washington, yet ties have soured markedly after Trump was elected.
Colombia’s narcotics trade is largely controlled by guerrilla factions such as the Golf Clan, the ELN guerrilla group and breakaway groups of the demobilized Farc, most of its former fighters disbanded following a landmark accord.
The President's Defiant Answer
When asked whether armed intervention similar to Venezuela was a possibility regarding Colombia, Trump said: "It sounds good from my perspective."
President Petro, once a member of a left-wing insurgent group who demobilised in the 1990s, rejected the accusations. "I am not an illegitimate leader and I am not involved in narcotics," he declared.
"The US president speaks without knowledge. Stop slandering me," he posted in a message.
"If they [the US] bomb rural communities, they will become numerous insurgents in the hills. If they capture me, which many of the population loves and respects, they will release the fierce spirit of the nation," the president cautioned.
From Fighter to Leader
The president dedicated part of his youth participating in the left-wing M-19 insurgent movement but is not believed that he never engaged in fighting. Following his disarmament, he took part in creating the nation's constitution over three decades ago and later became a prominent senator. He was mayor of the Colombian capital prior to his election the presidency.
"I pledged not to touch a gun ... but for Colombia I shall resume the fight," he affirmed.
Heightened Measures along with Cross-Political Rejection
The Colombian defence minister announced that the president’s security detail had received additional support.
A segment of Colombia’s political right have sided with Trump's stance, but voices from across Colombian politics have denounced the possibility of a US attack against their nation.
Bilateral and Financial Sanctions
American authorities cancelled the president's entry visa following he urged American soldiers to refuse any illegal orders. Later, in October, the US enacted asset freezes against the president, his spouse and several associates.
Simultaneously while America bolstered its troop levels in the region and targeting alleged narcotics traffickers to put pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets have also conducted strikes against vessels in Pacific waters near Colombia.
